Sonic Genesis Evangelion: Outburst
by RealRemainder
Summary: Second half of the Sonic Genesis Evangelion saga. Sonic Shadow and Silver, along with the heroes of the Evangelion Universe continue their fight against the Angels, who have upped their antics by absorbing Chaos Energy. Plus more elements from Mobius are seeping in. Can they stop them, the Angels AND the oblivion of instrumentality? Shinji/Asuka.
1. Chasing Shades and Lights

Disclaimer: Evangelion belongs to Gainax, Sonic belongs to Sega.

 **Author's note: I'M BACK BABY!**

 **Many thanks to GameJay for beta reading. Unfortunately he's been saying he's got other stuff to do besides being my beta reader, and it turns out he might stop beta reading for me, so this second book might lose its beta reader… Can anybody be my new beta reader if that happens? I'd appreciate it.**

 **Anyway, Sonic Genesis Evangelion is back in its second book, 'Outburst', and the time off I took between books allowed me to finish not only chapter 1 but also a great deal of chapter 2. I should be able to make a few fast updates!**

 **We kick off seeing how Japan dealt with the swine flu epidemic without using vaccines and if they managed to stop the 'Angelic Zombie apocalypse'. All the while the remaining Angels and another threat looms in the horizon.**

 **What threat you ask? Read on my friend!**

 **Chapter 1:** _ **Chasing shades and lights**_

Yoshida thought he was crazy for sure. This day just kept getting weirder even though he was already thinking it couldn't possibly get any weirder. Weirder still, there it was, standing before him, victorious, with a victory sign held high up. There he was.

 _Did a blue hedgehog wearing a scarf just save my life from a zombie?! A zombie that attacked me at work?! Really?!_

"Are you alright?"

Scruffy voice, slightly whiny, dripping with attitude. However the oddity of that was lost to him because right then all Yoshida processed was that the thing spoke; and _to_ him, no less. He now honestly thought he'd lost it

"Did… did you just speak?"

The creature sighed and face palmed shaking its head, making its blue quills waver from side to side, "Oh great, this again…"

Yoshida blinked, "L-look, I'm just a nurse here in Kyoto's general hospital! What-"

The creature cut him off by jumping right in front of him, causing him to recoil slightly, "Look, I speak, I'm a hedgehog and I'm from a different universe. Now that we got all that out of the way, answer me; are you alright?"

Yoshida blinked, still trying to process everything the 'hedgehog from another universe' said. He finally managed "Y-yes."

The blue hedgehog looked to the sides, his quills swaying, his general movement was so alien for Yoshida that he couldn't help but still keep staring in awe.

"Who are you?" was all he managed to ask.

The creature looked at him again, his green eyes extra focused now for some reason, "Call me Sonic. Sonic the Hedgehog. This hospital used the new specs for the flu vaccine right?"

Yoshida blinked, "Yes-" but his answer was cut short by another zombie like suit and tie, enraged and with a foaming mouth, the same black goo as before oozing out of his lips.

There was a blue blur of motion, coupled with a swift sound of fast sweeping, coupled with a swooshing wind.

The 'zombie' was falling on the ground, a blue spinning ball had just bounced on his head, causing nose and eye bleed

"That's what you did wrong! The vaccine was actually a virus!" The hedgehog said after landing from having bounced off the zombie's head, as if nothing had happened.

Yoshida blinked. "Who… what are you?!"

"I told you! I'm…"

(SGE)

"…Shadow the Hedgehog. And we have to tell your bosses the flu vaccine specs you received are actually a deadly virus."

Carol blinked, still unable to close her hanging mouth. _I mean… Oh my god! Coming to Japan to escape the impact wars in the US seems like a bad idea for the first time in thirteen years… A zombie attacked me and a black hedgehog saved me?!_

 _ZOMBIES and BLACK HEDGEHOGS?!_

The thing that identified itself as Shadow the hedgehog narrowed his red eyes and turned away, "I don't have time for this."

"Wait!" Carol finally found her voice again.

Shadow half glanced at her, without saying anything.

"Um… you… said the batch we received today of vaccines is contaminated?"

Shadow fully turned to her to nod. "The schematics sent out from the capital earlier altered the manufacture process for it to be a deadly virus instead of a vaccine."

Carol gulped. _Dad was Japanese, it was easy for him to bring me and mom all the way from home, but I never thought… I mean I know the news talk about what's happening in Tokyo 03. We're at war. But Tokyo 03 is on the other far end of Japan from Asahikawa! I never thought-_

"Are you gonna say anything?" Shadow narrowed his eyes as he cut her train of thought.

"I-I'm sorry, it's just that… this is as far away from normal as it gets for me…"

He rolled his eyes and once again she was weirded out at how his anthropomorphic form mimicked even the slightest expression. She gulped again when his red eyes completed the motion and stared into her again.

"Um… I… The chief nurse… Harumi-senpai, she… has access to the vaccine batches."

Shadow's face finally soothed somewhat, "We have to find her, find a way to stop the distribution and the applying of the vaccine. In this hospital and any other health station!"

(SGE)

"Are you sure this is the right way Yumiko?"

Yumiko was amazed at how she could truly and simply interact with the creature holding her hand, leading her towards her office. She was also amazed at how everybody else around, staff and patients, would stop what they were doing to stare at her and the creature holding her hand.

"Y-Yes… S-Silver-san, um…"

It didn't seem to notice her confusion and all the attention they were drawing. His strange big golden eyes still focused on the path before them, dead set on reaching the cabinet where the truck load of vaccines had been delivered. She remembered before the outburst of patients that received the vaccine, just before all the madness started. How many people had a bad case of the flu.

"Are you sure the entire vaccine and flu shot batch is contaminated? We need swine flu medication BADLY!"

Silver half glanced at her, without stopping their walking, "You said the batch here in Nagano's general hospital was produced and received today right?"

Yumiko nodded, again without stop moving.

"As of 18:35 yesterday, every batch produced, whether it was in a small factory or by any big pharmaceutical company, was infected by an altered blue print for the swine flu vaccine. That caused the vaccines mass produced to become tainted with the plague infecting some the people of this hospital."

Yumiko widened her eyes, "You mean those… _patients_ that went rabid…?"

"Yes. That was caused by the swine flu shots! We have to hurry before more are infe-"

Silver stopped talking suddenly and his head snapped to the side, his quills wavering as fast as his head moves. There was a loud thud…

"AAAAAAHHHHH!"

…and someone screaming, in a voice that Yumiko recognized.

"Yukina?" she asked as her head snapped the same direction Silver's head had snapped.

Sure enough, one of the nurses, one that she knew, that she had ordered around and even eaten with in the past, Yukina Sagiri, was holding a syringe in one hand, while fighting off a patient that, like the one that attacked her just before Silver saved her, had red eyes and was drooling black goo with his saliva. Panic and shock were tingeing her face with wide open eyes and mouth as the now 'zombified' patient attacked her.

Then, as suddenly as the attack happened, it stopped when one of the medical trays flew from where it was standing and hit the patient on the head, opening a nasty red gash on his forehead and rendering him unconscious.

 _Wait, the medical tray flew from where it was standing?!_

Yumiko then noticed Silver had just gestured with his gloved huge hand, a strange eerie blue glow on it. She could have sworn the same glow briefly enveloped the tray that moved by itself. Silver turning to look at her again snapped her out of her wonderment reverie, "Yumiko, if the vaccines are already being applied, that means they are already out of storage and in the open, ready to be applied right?"

"A-Ah… Yes, I mean…"

He narrowed his big golden eyes, "That means it's no use going for the storage section," He looked at her again, "Where is the PA announcement system of this hospital?"

(SGE)

"W-What do you mean 'you can move that fast'?!"

Sonic groaned as the male nurse, Yoshida or something was his name, was still being rendered shocked by every bit of information about him.

 _All I did was homing attack another zombie… I never thought I'd get tired of having my ego stroked. I don't have time for this._

"Look, I'm in a hurry, can you tell me where they are keeping the flu shots or not?"

Yoshida still looked shocked. He worked his mouth silently for a while.

That did it, "HEY!" Sonic smacked the nurse on the forehead with his gloved palm, "Flu shots!"

Yoshida shook his head as if to clear it, "B-bottom floor. Storage."

They resumed running. Sonic thought it was a pain keeping up with the slowpoke.

 _How do people move so SLOW?!_

As if sensing his rude thoughts, Yoshida spoke again, "I hope you can still fight off anybody we meet on the way. I also hope you know a LOT of people are going to stay bed ridden without those vaccines…"

Sonic shrugged, "Beats turning into one of those things that attacked us."

Yoshida winced, and then he gulped, "What _are_ those things anyway?"

(SGE)

Shadow groaned, now officially annoyed at this foreigner nurse, "They are infected ones of a very dangerous virus, Carol. A virus made by the Angels. Now please shut up and let's keep going."

Carol gulped and, even though he was thoroughly annoyed, Shadow couldn't help but notice the young woman seemed to be thinking about something important. More specifically when he mentioned the Angels.

 _I heard the outside world still think of God as the 'boss' of the 'Angels'._

 _She's not Japanese._

 _Maybe she's thinking about the messengers of God, Angels, and their actions to end her species as something good…_

As his thoughts ran their course, they finally arrived at the Asashikawa's general hospital PA system. Shadow didn't waste any time, he just pressed the button and started speaking…

(SGE)

"Attention everyone in the staff of Nagano's general hospital! Do NOT use the flu shots! I repeat, do NOT use the swine flu vaccines under ANY circumstances!"

Silver swallowed, licked his lips after glancing at Yumiko one more time (she still looked shocked, eyes and mouth wide) and resumed his announcement, "Yesterday the Angels, the entities attacking your world, contaminated the manufacture process and current batches of anti-flu medication! Anti-flu medication will turn you-"

He hesitated. ' _Will turn you into a monster' might make humans laugh. This is serious._

"…will _kill_ you!"

He turned back to Yumiko, who finally managed to close her mouth and blink when Silver addressed her again, "Make sure the people with flu _remains with the flu!_ That they remain sick. They absolutely CAN'T get flu shots or vaccines. Not until it's a different, safe batch of vaccine…"

He ignored how Yumiko still looked bewildered and started walking out of the PA system room.

"W-wait um… S-Silver-san…"

Silver glanced at her and blinked.

"Um, I mean… w-where are you going?"

Silver pointed outside, "I need to go to the next hospital, Yumiko."

Yumiko blinked, her mouth still hanging open.

"It was a country wide distribution of these contaminated batches, Yumiko. Just like the swine flu epidemic… The Angels are ruthless…"

She seemed surprised again when he took the Chaos Emerald from his pouch.

(SGE)

"Well I'll see you, Yoshida."

The blue hedgehog surprised him one last time by apparently focusing on the strange green jewel the size of a fist he had just got out of his backpack and vanished into a blue blur of motion, followed by a very loud bang that sounded like a sonic boom, even if Yoshida couldn't possibly recognize a sonic boom.

Yoshida observed, in mute contemplation. _That… 'blue hedgehog' runs faster than sound…_

(SGE)

"Um… Carol-san…? Did that _black hedgehog_ just teleported away holding that red emerald?"

"Um… I think so Harumi-senpai, yes…"

Carol couldn't utter anything else anymore, just keep staring at the spot Shadow was just on, having disappeared right after saying 'chaos control' or something.

(SGE)

Yumiko finally shook her head and slapped her forehead, "Focus Yumiko! You know he moves with his mind. You saw him doing it."

She turned to return to the hospital, "I have to take care of the flu patients without flu shots… Also gotta talk to someone from the news after this."

(SGE)

Ritsuko had done it. As she glanced once again at the screens of every communication tech in Central Dogma, all of them were supervising the administration of every health station in Japan. They were complaining of course, saying a lot of people needed the anti-flu medication, but it didn't matter. The communication effort, going on straight since yesterday, coupled with the armed effort of the JSDF and the hedgehogs running around, the small sprouts of infestation were contained and stopped. The contaminated flu medication, both the batches that were made with the virus thanks to the blueprints altered by the Angel and the batches contaminated by the virus through its molecular telekinesis, had been confiscated.

She rubbed her rugged eyes, rugged of course only because of the dreadful one nighter she had been pulling, then she reached for the coffee mug. After a bitter swig at it, she saw Maya approaching and set the mug back down.

Her protégée sighed, "Can't this day end already?"

"War state, Maya."

"And I shouldn't downgrade how horrible the situation is just because I'm on the administrative side of things, but still," She rubbed her eyes again, "I don't know how many more times I can say 'do not apply this particular flu medication, it's contaminated'…"

Ritsuko smiled and noticed Maya kept stealing glances at her as they worked. Maya was always focused on her work so that was unusual. Ritsuko knew there was something else in there, maybe she was even lucky so that it would be what she thought it was. But if she knew Maya well, the lieutenant wouldn't be able to say it without help.

"Is something on your mind Maya?"

The tech jumped, then just blinked at her, mouth slightly open.

"Well?" Ritsuko smiled at her.

"Um…." Maya straitened her posture and looked her in the eye, "Senpai- Ritsuko. I… I just wanna say that…"

Ritsuko thought she looked unbelievably adorable all fidgety like that and the time she spent time with Maya had been wonderful, not only their little dates but also the time at work. But she still felt rather reserved about this situation, she bit her lip thinking of a way to help Maya say what she wanted to say.

And then Sonic's voice whispered in her head. _I know you. I've talked to you. You're better than you think you are…_

Ritsuko smiled, "You wanna come with me to the wedding?"

Maya blinked, "Huh?"

Ritsuko straightened her eyes and grinned, "It's two weeks from now, one of the last friends of mine and Misato's to get married. Since we've managed to pretty much fend off this outbreak, I think it's still on."

Now Maya looked at her genuinely confused, "Um…"

"Then maybe later we could go up to my apartment. I'd show you my pussies."

" _Excuse_ me?!"

"My cats, Maya. I got three of them."

Maya just stood there dumb folded for a while. She blushed furiously and blinked, "Oh… um…" she calmed down, her flush lessened. She swallowed, "I'd love to. Go with you to the wedding, I mean. And to your-" she shook her head panting, "your _apartment_ too."

Ritsuko closed her eyes and grinned again, a slight pink tone on her cheeks, "We'll take this slowly, once we get through this 'Angelic Zombies' thing. I just thought I'd make my intentions clear."

Maya was still panting and blushing slightly, "I-I understand, Senpai… Ritsuko… It's all clear- consider them clarified…"

Ritsuko grinned at her again. "Show you my cats."

"Your puss-" Maya blushed crimson again as she cut herself off, "Your cats, yes."

(SGE)

Shinji didn't think he could feel this much bliss. It was something as simple as waking up. How did it feel this good? As if the sudden question made him brave, he wrapped his arms around the girl snuggling with him right now. It was enough for her to realize he was awake.

"Good morning stupid."

Her smile was also very beautiful, "Good morning Asuka. Hm. Best way to wake up _ever_."

She flashed her teeth slightly before just getting closer to him. A while longer passed with them just caressing each other, mostly on shoulders and backs, while she even ventured across his chest. Eventually words invaded the moment again, much to Shinji's discontent.

"We should get up."

"Hm, no."

Her smile gained a hint of surprise, "You're gonna taint your perfect school record if you're late."

"Hmm. I don't care. I don't care even if Misato finds us here either. Let's just snuggle like this the whole day…"

"Idiot, don't even try."

Now that both of them were wide awake, having exchanged a lot of energy and also slightly distant from each other because Asuka edged away slightly when she told him not to try, he saw it. Her face. Her perfect face. Her face without a scowl of hostility, that he felt he was the only one that knew. Her face, her eyes, her lips, they seemed so inviting that he was kissing her before he processed something was happening.

Again, like previous times, he closed his eyes and enjoyed every sensation. He thought something was different, something was better this time around. That's why it was extremely weird for him when Asuka broke off the kiss and stared at him with a scowl of disbelief, keeping him away from her with both hands on his chest.

"Did I say you could touch me there?!" This was the first time in a long while Shinji heard hostility in her voice. Actual hostility and not the rehearsed one from when they were in front of other people.

"Huh?" Shinji was surprised his confusion suppressed his usual 'apologize reflex'.

Again, to surprise him even more, her scowl was accompanied by an amused smile after a while, "I don't believe it…"

"Um… what?"

She smirked "You really are a pervert aren't you? You didn't even notice where your hand went?"

Shinji widened his eyes when he realized his left hand that was caressing her back had gone downwards and touched upon some curvaceous territory.

He recoiled from her instantly, almost falling off his own bed, "Oh my god! I'm sorry, I-"

Asuka rolled her eyes before cutting him off "Shh, it's okay. I was just surprised is all." She smiled again, "And we both know you're not sorry…"

Shinji blushed. He looked away from her, feeling slightly ashamed of himself. She didn't say anything else, apparently thinking about something.

Finally she smiled mysteriously at him, "Tell you what, why don't we have another, ahem, study session later? That way you can justify your… 'subconsciously wandering hand'."

Now Shinji blushed crimson, remembering what study meant, what the way they studied together meant at least. _I teach her Japanese, she teaches me physics. Our rewards to each other are…_ His face became even redder as he thought about it.

"Mein Gott!" Asuka snapped him out of it, "You're thinking about it aren't you?"

Shinji scratched the back of his head and looked away from her eyes, again making an effort to not apologize, "I… I can't help it Asuka. You're…" He looked at her again, "You're awesome!"

Asuka rolled her eyes smiling before finally leaving his room, "Pervert."

They got up to get ready; Asuka just went back into her room. And the day went on; School was cancelled because of the entire 'contaminated flu medication' spiel, so after a quick call to Kensuke and Toji and a herculean effort to not blush in front of Misato just because he was looking at Asuka across the table (keeping his relationship with her a secret was a bit of a pain sometimes). Except for the fact Misato left _really_ early for some reason, the day went on normally and he getting inside NERV was also as it was all his other days here.

However he didn't expect some different work related stuff to happen today, because of the whole 'risk of Zombie Apocalypse'. He usually just complied with his orders but this time he really needed to ask something. So he turned on the com unit inside his entry plug.

"Doctor Akagi," Ritsuko was surprised by the boy calling her all of a sudden. "Is this really necessary at a time like this? There may be a plague outbreak happening right now…"

Doctor Akagi smiled at his com unit, at him, "We need to be ready Shinji. Cross compatibility is an important factor in the controlling of the Evas. That's also why we're testing all of you at once. Besides," Shinji heard her flicking a switch, "Major Katsuragi is taking care of the fall out of that."

Shinji blinked, "Is that why I haven't seen her today? She did leave very early…"

"Yes," Shinji swore he could hear the doctor turning away from his com Unit to address a different com unit, "How are you doing in there, Rei?"

Shinji couldn't hear Rei's response on her com unit or through his own. He really didn't care one way or another but usually there was more pandering than this, with a lot of people asking how he was doing, talking over the communication channels the technicalities of what was happening, but this time not only were the three pilots working at the same time, but Misato was out, dealing with the viral outbreak doing whatever. Hell he even expected Asuka to tease him about how it felt being in a different Eva. That didn't happen either.

So he just kept focusing on the task at hand. He focused on syncing.

 _Am I crazy or does this whole entry plug smells like Rei?_

…

 _I can't say that out loud, Asuka will kill me. I'll just tell doctor Akagi it… feels different._

It was then that he felt a sharp pain in the middle of his forehead, as if something was intruding the very center of his being. As if something was entering his head. As suddenly as the pain began, it subdued, and his vision went black and then to Rei.

Yes, Rei. He saw, he _was seeing_ Rei Ayanami.

Several images of her, several memories of him and memories that weren't his. They seemed to belong to someone else.

 _Are… are these Ayanami's memories?_

His question, his train of thought, but even more than that was cut off by what he saw next. It was worse still, it was like his very being had been cut off by the images. The last image he saw was an eerie image of a deformed Rei, smiling creepily and 'flying' towards him.

(SGE)

Of course Asuka was slightly annoyed with all the techs saying there was no problem.

 _Of course there's no problem you morons._

She was also slightly annoyed about how Misato wasn't there.

 _Of course she wouldn't be here just because I have a question…_

Granted, she could have asked Ritsuko why she wasn't taking any part in these cross sync tests but she knew the woman only by reputation and work, so she didn't bother. Then she groaned.

 _Let's just get this done shall we…_

She went back to focusing on her sync test but her concentration was immediately broken by the sound of alarms blaring. Her quick mind immediately kicked in and she turned on every single spec of communication channel in her entry plug.

"Something is wrong with the syncograph!"

It was only the first sentence out of some random tech outside and right off the bat, the blood drained from Asuka's face and she cancelled her immersion, initiating procedures for opening the entry plug hatch.

She was _that_ fastin figuring out something was wrong with the stupid piece of garbage that was the Evangelion prototype. Only one thought crossed her mind as she ruined her own Sync test of the day.

 _Stupid Shinji! I have to do everything!_

She didn't pay any attention or heed to everyone telling her she shouldn't be doing what she was doing her entire way the moment she left her entry plug all the way to the booth that gave way to the testing chamber of Unit 00. She spared one glance to the insides of the abyssal chamber holding Unit 00 and, sure enough, the blue monstrosity was already out of its restraints, having torn them away from the wall, bolts and cables in tow.

Asuka made a tremendous effort to not override the emergency procedure and just go inside the abyssal chamber holding the berserking Eva. She knew better than that, she knew doctor Akagi and her techs were already implementing the shutting down sequences, even the energy plug on the Eva's back had already fallen.

 _The thing must have switched to internal batteries…_

She thought her heart would leap out of her throat when the thing punched the glass of the observation deck repeatedly until it started banging its head against the adjacent wall. It was like every time the indentation above the only eye it had hit the wall was a needle in her chest.

Eventually the thing stopped and the entry plug ejected. The plug propelled itself against the wall before going to the ground. The emergency lockdown was no longer in effect and Asuka lunged herself through the door that opened.

 _Please be okay. Don't you DARE be hurt in any way you idiot!_

Within seconds she reached the plug. She burned her plugsuit clad hands slightly getting the handle to open it and see inside. She sighed in relief. He seemed uninjured, even though he was unconscious.

(SGE)

Shinji awoke with a start. He could hear some sort of children's show playing somewhere in the background, something about a dog that could do math. He looked at the ceiling above him and it was like shrapnel was being spread all over his body when he recognized it as the ceiling of NERV's medical ward.

"I hate this ceiling."

"Ah, Already whining. I guess you're okay then."

He turned to his left, the source of the familiar voice he liked hearing so much. Sure enough, Asuka was there, smiling at him.

"Asuka… Wh-what-?"

She fidgeted a little and blushed slightly suddenly, "I was NOT waiting for you to wake up! And I did NOT save you when your plug ejected!"

Shinji blinked, "I was, um, just wondering what happened?"

Now it was Asuka that blinked, "You don't remember?"

Shinji shook his head, "I was inside Unit 00 and… that's it…" he narrowed his eyes slightly at the ceiling.

Asuka sighed. When he looked at her she seemed to be thinking about something.

"Asuka?"

"Shinji, what kind of girl is the First?"

Shinji blinked, "What do you mean?"

She scowled slightly at him, the scowl that meant she was more annoyed than angry. Oddly enough he was a little happy he could recognize her scowls. "Never mind. Kaji and Misato never told me much about her either." She dusted herself off while getting up from the chair next to his hospital bed. "Come on idiot, get dressed and let's go home."

Shinji blinked.

Asuka smiled at him, winking, "We still have to do today's homework, remember?"

Shinji returned the smile.

(SGE)

"I'm starting to judge this as unacceptable, Ms. Katsuragi." Misato bowed her head slightly, "Just what exactly is your role in this organization?"

"I… am the tactical operations director Madam Secretary."

The old woman groaned, "That doesn't help me."

Misato straightened her posture. She had forgotten how being in these formal clothes for so long in an environment like one of the main offices of the UN could be so damn restricting. "I coordinate the battles against the Angels. Think about the strategies to beat them."

"And _you_ are the best officer NERV could think of to tell me about this?" she tossed a edition of a newspaper, the most credible and famous mainstream news of Tokyo-03 in front of her desk and pointed at the first page article. The photo of the article showed three separate pictures of Shadow, Silver and Sonic. "And about this?" She pointed at the headline in another paper that actually read 'Hedgehog creatures help with contaminated swine flu vaccine that caused viral outbreak', "Shouldn't they have sent me someone from the science division?"

She made extra effort to maintain her posture. _Oh how I wish Ritsuko was here instead of me. Gosh, why do I have to tell everything that happened to the secretary of the UN?_

"Yes Madam Secretary. As we discussed before the creatures referred to as hedgehogs, Sonic, Silver and Shadow are actually with NERV. That's why they knew everything we knew, that's how they also did the work we were doing against the flu epidemic and the contaminated medication. However information about their origins are still classified…"

Tomoe Yamada, the freaking secretary of the United Nations, actually narrowed her eyes at her. Misato gulped. With Shinji back at her house to clean up after her and the success of the last three days of operations, success in stopping a zombie apocalypse, Misato was considerably happy. However she did wish the current official meeting would end already, or at the very least go better than it was. Not only that, because she was here dealing with UN crap, she was missing a lot of things back at HQ.

 _Unit 00 went berserk with Shinji-kun inside._ She thought as she made an effort to keep her expression neutral.

"So they are not part of some super soldier program from NERV."

Now Misato had to stifle a laugh. _Why would super soldiers look like colored hedgehogs shorter than Shinji?_

"Their abilities, their skill have also been deciphered and are also being put into consideration during the battles."

Miss Yamada's eyes softened somewhat, "And the latest incursion from the Angels also concerns the… creatures?"

"Mobians, Madam Secretary. Yes, we believe the Angels have changed some of their patterns to adapt to the three of them."

"The same three creatures that helped you in the past three days?"

Misato nodded, "Yes, we had to be fast and furious, some of the times we stopped the distribution just on the nick of time, stopping trucks on their factory exits. And even if it was just suspicion of carrying vaccines, but we stopped almost it all. The areas where there were outbreaks were also contained, thankfully."

"Also with the help of these so called mobians."

Misato swallowed, "I understand how this looks like Madam secretary-"

Now Tomoe narrowed her eyes again, "It would appear your organization withheld crucial information from us, Major."

Misato closed her eyes for a second, "Yes but you see, the circumstances around their appearance and their sudden cooperation were _very_ peculiar. Can I be frank?"

"Go ahead."

"Bear in mind, this information is also classified… You see, Madam Secretary, the mobians…"

"Yes?"

"They're from a different universe."

There was a silence for that information to be digested. Misato wished she could have phrased it better, but honestly there was no way around it. 'Different universe' was the only thing to be said in that situation. She actually had to say the words 'different universe' to the official secretary of the United Nations…

When she noticed Tomoe Yamada wasn't going to say anything else, she sighed, "That's why no one knew about them or had ever even seen them up until now. They arrived here… in our universe, just a few months ago… "

The secretary blinked. "I… see. That also explains their appearance…"

Misato simply nodded.

Tomoe cleared her throat while putting together the news and the papers scattered across her desk, some of which she consulted as she spoke to Misato, "I guess we can call this meeting adjourned…"

Misato released a sigh of relief as she got up from her chair, getting away from the big desk of the big office as if they were toxic.

"Major, if possible… I would like to review the information about the mobians myself. Even speak with them if possible… the… news stories are true right? They… speak?"

"Yes they do Madam Secretary, but as for your request, well… like I said, that information is-"

"Classified I know," Tomoe sighed, "I guess I will keep the pressure on the channels to your commander and to the UN committee."

Misato nodded as she stepped back, wanting to get out of there badly, "Madam Secretary," She said before finally turning away.

(SGE)

As he walked into his gigantic oval office, adorned with the tree of life, he saw his sub-commander playing Shogi with himself and reading a magazine. His work phone buzzed and, as he made his way to his chair he picked it up from his pocket to look at the message he just received. He read it out loud.

"The hedgehogs have gone public." Then he read who it was from, "Robotnik."

He sat down and crossed his hands in front of his face, but said nothing.

"So, the world knows about the mobians now…" Fuyutsuki didn't stop reading the magazine to make his move on the Shogi board.

Gendo didn't move from his position "It was inevitable. There were small sprouts of the virus all over the country. Of course they would save everybody they could."

"Are we going to do anything about it besides offering Major Katsuragi to the lower dogs of the UN?"

"No. She handled the secretary of the UN well. We have bigger concerns at hand."

"Ah, yes. The Committee knew about the Angel invasion and accused you yes? I'm assuming they also blamed you for this Angelic Zombie 'near' outbreak?"

Gendo didn't even flinch at his colleague rightly guessing how his earlier meeting with SEELE went. "Irrelevant. We have all the trump cards. Even their pawn Robotnik can't be triggered by them at the moment. They can't do anything to us."

"It still wouldn't be wise to incur their wrath."

"Everything is following our scenario. There's no problem."

"And the incident with Unit 00? Was that part of the scenario?"

"Unimportant. Unit 00 resynchronized with Rei. Akagi got enough information for us to initiate the dummy system program."

Fuyutsuki glanced at him as if thinking something and changed the subject, "What about Project Adam?"

"That's going fine as well. Thanks to Robotnik giving us the lance earlier, bringing us forward two percent ahead of schedule."

None of the two old men said anything more afterwards. Their Shogi game began.

(SGE)

"…home…" She uttered to herself as she got out of her car and was about to go up to her apartment. Shinji and Asuka were also already home too and she smiled thinking about how she'd see them.

 _Maybe they'll be fighting. Even that will be interesting to see. What a day… can't believe the commander threw me to be the chew toy of the UN… Can't wait to get out of these clothes…_

She nudged the collar of her formal coat, looking for relief again. Wanting to breathe. Her wait for the elevator and her going up to her floor never seemed so long taking and dreary. Her relief upon finally opening her door was never so great. Her smile vanished and she blinked when she heard Asuka giggling in a way she never heard Asuka giggling before. Misato became completely quiet as she approached the edge of her door and peered into the living room.

 _What the…?_

Asuka was on Shinji's lap.

 _The hell…? What?!_

She was smiling, wearing her sun dress, in a dangerously loose fashion, one of the shoulder straps was down. There was even a dangerous amount of her chest exposed. There was a math book of school in her hand while her other hand was around Shinji's neck. She was looking at the book while Shinji was exchanging glances between her and what she was reading.

"Okay. A bicycle… travel? Travelling! Traveling at constant veloc- speed, hits a bump and stops over a… period of time. Considering that the… Map? Graphic! Considering that the graphic below shows the decreasing speed of the bike, calculate that period of time."

Shinji smiled at her, even closing his eyes, warmth all over, "You did it! That was perfect!"

Asuka smiled smugly at him, "Of course! Well, almost perfect." She put the book down and laid her head against his shoulder, "Where's my reward?"

Misato had to stifle a gasp when Shinji leaned in on his own shoulder as if to kiss her. She had to stifle another one when they _did_ kiss. This was no peck on the lips either. The way their heads moved and the way their cheeks wobbled, this was clearly something they had done before. It was clearly something they were used to. Misato could have sworn she saw a string of saliva connecting their lips when the kiss broke. Shinji was gasping for air and blushing. Asuka wasn't doing that much better, even though she was still smiling.

"Your turn now."

"Hm. Can't wait for _my_ reward."

Asuka giggled, "That's only if you solve the problem as perfectly as I read it in stupid Japanese. Now…"

She pointed at the book again. Misato smiled. _Well I'll be dammed. Has this been going on since Matariel?_

Misato then took two steps back, threw her shoes in the ground as hard and loud as she could, yawned theatrically and announced, "I'm home."

Upon entering her living room again, Asuka was sitting on one end of the couch, her dress was all straightened up and there was an almost scowl on her face. Shinji was in the coffee table right in front of the couch, math book in hand, still blushing slightly, his gaze alternating between Misato and the book.

When Misato smiled and cocked her head, it was like Shinji remembered something suddenly, "A-Ah, w-welcome back Misato-san!"

Misato took two steps into the living room and was still smiling at them, "The two of you have, I don't know, anything you wanna tell me?"

Shinji widened his eyes, "A-ah…!"

…while Asuka narrowed hers. "No." Shinji winced, Misato noticed Asuka secretly and subtly pinching his back, "I'm going to my room," then she got up and went away.

Misato kept her smile at Asuka's receding form, then at Shinji. He still looked at her nervously, "W-what?"

"Nothing," now Misato grinned, "You're just… glowing."

Shinji blinked.

"Anyway," Misato started walking away towards the bathroom, "Carry on."

 _Need a shower. Need to tell this to Rits. Need to tell her they wanna keep this a secret._

(SGE)

Robotnik was pleased. And not just because the Zombie Apocalypse had been stopped. It wasn't worth listening in to the latest meeting of SEELE and the commander, nothing but a bunch of old men recapping what has already happened, pestering one man about the budget and how he shouldn't have tried to hide the fact an Angel hacked HQ and how it almost jeopardized the entire project. However, Robotnik was amazed Ikari clung to his lie to the very end, insisting there was no proof an Angel invaded HQ and also at how Ikari played the old men for fools, not revealing Unit 00 going berserk.

 _Of course… they will probably ask ME about all of that later on…_

As he enjoyed his hacked channel some more, like a rat skulking through sewer pipe filled with moldy cheese, he collected data not only of the core of the fourth Angel, something he hadn't done before but also from the molecular remains of the hacker Angel. Using an algorithm from the core of the previous Angel, the information he already had about the Dead Sea Scrolls and the molecular structure of a microscopic scale angel (along the same lines of the Angelic Zombie virus) he deciphered information left at the very base of the reality he was currently in.

 _At the very… 'entrance' that the Angels use to attack this place. A shame I don't have all the Chaos Emeralds. With the right amount of energy, I could make a Dimensional Warper to go directly to the… dimension the Angels dwell in… the possibilities regarding that could be interesting._

He stopped typing to scratch his chin.

 _As long as I'm here… might as well see if there's anything of note… let's see, if I dodge the barriers set by this reality, and the MAGI is a strong enough computer for that, I can simply…_

He resumed his furious typing. Something in the back of his head nagged him about major Katsuragi.

 _Hmm… she is indeed confronting me whenever she can. If there's nothing to stop her, she might plough me to find out what my sources are, regardless of the political immunity SEELE granted me…_

He shivered as he typed, thinking about the previous times the woman cornered him about how he knew so much. He couldn't tell anyone he had gazed upon the same information the instrumentality committee and the Commander had gazed upon.

 _And I can do nothing but avoid her, hope she won't confront me about it and hope that I will always have a way out. Well, no matter. Once my work is complete-_

He cut his own train of thought off as he came across what he was looking for.

 _Um… that was easy… Hacking isn't usually like this. Not even for me. Especially hacking to see inter dimensional things. How could I just find information like this? Almost like…_

…

 _Like whoever left it here WANTED me to find it…_

He stopped and looked upon the green screen with lots of numbers that only he could comprehend. One hit on the enter key and the algorithm would be deciphered and he would see what something, possibly the next Angel, left there to be found by whoever was looking.

 _And the next Angel, Leliel, controls space through a Dirac Ocean according to the scrolls… Maybe he could attack me, even though he's not here yet and even though I'm here, in a forgotten computer office inside NERV HQ… Would a trap from the Angels be this obvious?_

With a trepidation that was very unlike him and with foreshadowing that usually didn't affect him, he hit the enter key. Sweat beaded all around his wrinkled face. His heart beat in a way it hadn't for a long time. Relief flooded him when the results of the computer made calculations were in and the algorithm was deciphered.

"Phew! Wait, algorithm deciphered into… letters? Is this a message?"

He couldn't help but state it out loud, even though he was alone in that dark office. It was like his relief was replaced with surprise. That surprise became even greater when he realized what was there was indeed a written message.

Robotnik blinked behind his dark glasses and once again couldn't help but talk to himself, "What?" He couldn't believe as he read it. Surprise was mixed with disbelief. "That… doesn't make any sense…!" He read the message again just to be sure, "A… a poem…?! Really? A _poem_?!"

(SGE)

The three hedgehogs walked about the corridors of HQ, already totally used to the stares and head turns they got from literally _every_ employee of NERV passing by.

"Well, guys we did. Zombie Apocalypse: Cancelled! AND, we've gone public! Man, Kensuke is gonna go berserk with all this."

"You know, I've actually been meaning to ask about that. How come you get to live with one of the engineers here of NERV and Shadow and I have to live in the Geofront?"

Still smiling, Sonic shrugged.

Shadow grunted, "More importantly, why do you think Robotnik called in this emergency meeting all of a sudden?"

Sonic shrugged again, this time in a questioning manner, "Who knows what goes on in that egg head."

The hedgehogs reached the same debriefing room of before, the one they had been on talking about the Angel that was falling from the sky and before that about the properties of the Angelic Zombie virus and before that when they found an Angel in the Magma. Sonic glanced at Silver first, remembering how Silver wasn't present yet on that first occasion, before his gaze swept the whole room, seeing everyone present.

Robotnik and Ritsuko were once again holding the floor, up front by the presentation table. The same one where they showed all their sciency stuff. Robotnik seemed to be explaining something to Ritsuko. There was major Katsuragi and a few techs and security guards Sonic had seen before around the base.

Robotnik glanced at their direction. He gave them the knowing grin Sonic hated so much. He spared him a scowl. A scowl his fellow hedgehogs mirrored. When everyone in the room was done sparing a bewildered glance at them…

 _Gosh. Seriously, when are NERV people getting used to us?_

…Robotnik cleared his throat, "Now that everyone's here, we can begin." He put his hands behind his back, smugly prostrating his belly, "Everyone; good work on stopping the Angelic Zombie Apocalypse. However, our work, including my own, here on base didn't stop nor was it focused solely on the possible Angelic Zombie Apocalypse."

He made the typical gesture to get everyone even more focused on him. Sonic rolled his eyes. _What a douche…_

"I have uncovered essential tactical information about the next Angel." He straightened his glasses and twirled his huge mustache, "As I just explained to the lovely doctor Akagi there was more left in the alien algorithms left inside of the MAGI then the alterations of the swine flu medication. There were numbers and equations inside the interlaced frames of the hacking done by Iruel. We initially thought it was noise because of the alien nature of the numbering and where they were placed at."

"And they weren't just noise?" asked Misato.

"No. I ran them through a series of algorithm solving, reordering and reorganization procedures because… of certain factors."

Sonic narrowed his eyes at how Robotnik hesitated and looked at Misato before finishing that sentence. "What are you hiding from Misato, Eggman?"

Misato looked at Sonic, then back at Robotnik. She just narrowed her eyes.

Robotnik gulped, "Because of the next Angel."

Misato still had her eyes narrowed at him "What about it?"

"It will be a while before it comes but… it can control space. I thought maybe _it_ had something to do with algorithms hidden within computer space of its… first brother."

Now Misato crossed her arms "And let me guess; you know this because of your _sources_?"

Sonic loved how the gaze of the younger woman left the old man in shambles. He fidgeted around with his equipment before finally displaying, on the debrief screen, a series of very confusing numbers.

Robotnik cleared his throat, "Anyway, these are the equations and numbers as I found them primarily, in their most brute form…"

Sonic saw how Misato visibly acted upon being ignored by the old talking egg. She hated it. In fact he'd say Robotnik was lucky Misato focused on how the numbers and equations changed, forming less complicated patterns and even a few letters.

Akagi spoke up this time, "Through a series of search algorithms and search of wavelength variations in the numbers, doctor Ivo actually found the source of this transmission to be from a different dimension, probably the one the Angels come from, and deciphered an actual message within the layers."

Robotnik nodded, "A message I couldn't have found unless whoever left it there meant for me to find it. But that's only one part of how disturbing this is…"

And then he typed some more on the laptop in front of him. The debrief screen showed more of the equations being deciphered; more of the algorithm or whatever it was being shown. Sonic would have grown bored if the screen hadn't finally shown a message. It read 'Beneath the darkness that is to blame, besides the smoldering hot flame, off the coast where the lost beast came.'

Robotnik cleared his throat again, after giving his audience a moment to take this in, "You see, this is just the first… verses, but what I saw was a whole poem. That in itself is still _very_ disturbing. Not only are the verses dark, and warning of impending doom through a 'great hungerer' but… Well, you see, why a poem? Why would a message given by the Angels, _on purpose_ in fact, be only a poem-"

"Look, just tell us what the message- poem is!" Misato snapped.

Robotnik winced slightly but cleared his throat again nonetheless and read off of his computer. He read it perfectly, pausing, separating each verse with comas and each stanza with periods:

"Beneath the darkness that is to blame,

Besides the smouldering hot flame,

Off the coast where the lost beast came,

The Great Hungerer is singing.

Its booming voice is not its own,

Its being of vileness is not to be shown,

Its wicked mouth is a fiery foam,

The Great Hungerer is singing.

And my diseased soul screams:

'Will you be my walker of dreams?',

Our funeral of Euphoria will ring,

The Great Hungerer is singing.

Reality itself crashes down,

Roaring in agony and with a frown,

Crying as an infant that drowns…"

He then looked at the people again and finished threateningly, "The Great Hungerer is singing."

It didn't take a literature genius to see that was some serious stuff, so Sonic expected ominous silence…

"Oh no…"

…and was surprised when he didn't get it. Sonic looked at the source of the voice and he was not the only one who notice how shocked and terrified Silver looked upon uttering that. His golden eyes were wide, his mouth was twisted as if he was wincing and his brown was creased in fear.

Sonic blinked at the sight, "What's up, Silver?"

The still wide eyed Silver declared, "That's the song of Solaris…"


	2. The Calm Before the Storm

**Chapter 2:** _ **The Calm before the Storm**_

The NERV debrief room was in a literal state of awkward silence. Which was odd because after everything Robotnik just explained, Sonic kind of expected ominous silence, not the awkwardness that came after one of the hedgehogs said something nobody seemed to get.

Silver seemed confused, seeing everyone just stare at him, as if expecting a follow up. "Um, Solaris is…" He addressed the room, eyes still slightly wide and face still showing a little fear, "Solaris is a fearsome god like beast… It 'commands' crisis and it also commands… 'death'. It commands the mobian grim reaper if you will."

He shook his head as if worried, as if trying to shake off the fear of something very dreadful coming. "Sonic, you, talked to him more times than I did. Care to weight in?"

Sonic blinked and looked to the sides as if confirming Silver was talking to him, "Um…"

Now Silver looked at him confused. "Mephiles, Sonic. You talked to him on some occasions during the crisis of Soleanna. He even… you know, _killed_ you."

Now Sonic widened his eyes and his mouth twisted in something akin to disgust at first, then he registered amusement coursing through him. He laughed loudly and heartly.

Silver blinked, "Um… Sonic?"

"Hahaha, I'm sorry Silver I just, Haha, I couldn't help it," he breathed, "Um, are you sure you're not _on_ meth or mephiles or whatever? I'm pretty sure I'd remember being killed…"

Silver blinked at him again, confused, then he shook his head, "Wait, wait, Sonic you… You don't remember Mephiles?"

Still with a somewhat amused face, Sonic blinked, "Um, who?"

"The flames of disaster were sealed in the country of Soleanna. Iblis, the god of Crisis, and Mephiles, the god of Death, were its servants. Eventually, after a series of events in the zones of Soleanna and in my future, Mephiles released his master, the flames of disaster, the god-like entity named…"

Sonic wasn't sure if Silver was pausing himself for dramatic effect or for Sonic to finish his sentence.

"Solaris. And you, Shadow and I had to fight Solaris off. Don't you remember?"

It was rare for Sonic to be speechless, but this was one such occasion. He scratched his head while feeling his face twist in even more confusion.

Still somewhat confused, Silver turned from him to Shadow, "How about you, Shadow, do you remember Solaris?"

Shadow grunted and crossed his arms.

Silver alternated his gaze between Sonic and Shadow, "This, this doesn't make any sense. That must have been your most epic adventure." He gestured at Sonic, "You were even getting along well with the Princess of Soleanna." He then turned to Shadow, "And you came to terms with your immortality. Why would the two of you forget about all of this?"

Sonic shrugged, "Pretty good story, horrible gameplay?"

Silver narrowed his eyes at him in confusion, "What?"

Sonic waved his hand dismissively "Video games analogy. When you play a game that has good story, good music and other good stuff but has horrible gameplay you forget it. Kind of like, gameplay is the only thing that matters," Sonic then scratched his head. "Anyway, I kind of have a few recollections of that, of Princess Elise specifically, but it's all very vague, dude. As if I saw it all in a glitch filled game or something."

Silver paused and finally nodded at him "I guess you're saying the truth. You even remembered the name of the princess, even though I didn't say she was Elise…"

Sonic blinked. Only now he himself noticed that he did say the name 'Princess Elise', "Um… okay I'm kind of freaked out now. Did I really forget an important adventure?"

Silver scratched his chin, "I guess you forgot because Princes Elise must have erased the flames of disaster. She erased the influence the god of crisis had in our world. And for anyone in the present, that meant Solaris never existed in that dimension, at least not to anyone in the present. And you were right there."

Sonic crossed his arms, "How come you remember then?"

"Unlike you, I was outside of time, back in my future. So I couldn't have forgotten about Iblis. Or Mephiles. And their master, Solaris."

Silver took brief note of everybody listening to him, every pair of wide eyes in the NERV debrief room before he continued, "That also explains why I had to introduce myself again to a lot of people when I went back in time again. Why Blaze was still alive in my future, even though she…" He hesitated, suddenly narrowing his eyes, making an effort to forget Blaze being enveloped by the flames of disaster along with what remained of Iblis. He scratched the back of his head, suddenly unable to look at Sonic "I guess it also explains why there was no animosity between us even though I tried to kill you… Twice…"

Sonic blinked, "Say what now?" He frowned.

Silver shrugged apologetically, "I thought you'd be the one to awaken Iblis. That you were the Iblis trigger… I guess I wasn't wrong, because it really was through you… well through your death that Solaris came but-"

"You know this is all very interesting," Major Katsuragi said suddenly, Sonic and Shadow's heads also snapped towards her along Silver's, "But what does this means for us, right here and now? Why did Dr. Robotnik found a message from Solaris here in this universe, in a… message from the Angels?"

"That is not entirely correct, Major," Ritsuko spoke after a long time silently listening to the hedgehogs' story, "Robotnik found the poem there but it was, quite literally, an interdimensional 'note'. There's no guarantee it came from the Angels."

Silver nodded, "Besides, Mephiles always enjoyed… theatricality. It's possible 'death' wants its master to have a triumphant entry into this universe.

Now Misato groaned face palming, "Yeah, about that." She looked at Silver, "You said this… 'Solaris' thing commands _Death_? You're saying Mephiles is the freaking _Grim Reaper_? Really?!"

"Major Katsuragi, I think," Robotnik cut in suddenly, "that the more pressing question is 'when will this threat arrive", rather then what it is."

Silver nodded, "Mephiles will definitely show up first. Solaris needs a portal into the universe he will devour. That last time, Mephiles opened that portal by, like I said, killing Sonic, and thus releasing the flames of disaster. By filling princess Elise with despair," He then looked at Misato "And yes, I think a good analogy would be 'Mephiles is the mobian Grim Reaper'…"

(SGE)

"And let me guess," Misato groaned while pinching the bridge of her nose, "A lot of death and destruction will follow his wake?"

Now not only the silvery one, all three hedgehogs looked at her and at everyone else in the room as if they had forgotten they were still there, not only with Ritsuko and Robotnik but with everybody else in the debriefing as well.

He looked troubled but eventually Silver simply nodded.

With a stern expression, Misato crossed her arms, "Is that the only signal we will have of him?"

Silver downed his eyes sadly, "I'm sorry Major…"

Shadow narrowed his eyes and Sonic looked equally troubled, but eventually the blue hedgehog smiled. "It's okay Misato!"

Misato looked at him with one eyebrow raised.

Sonic gave her a thumb up with his signature confident grin, "We have beaten them before. Even though I don't remember, I'm sure we can do it again!"

Once again Misato couldn't help but smile at the over confidence that the hedgehog exalted.

(SGE)

"This situation is peculiar, Sub-commander. I'm tempted to get Ikari out of command and put you in charge."

Fuyutsuki smiled at the holographic image of the old man wearing cycloptical glasses, "I sincerely doubt doing so would alter anything, Mr. Chairman."

"Not only has our mole discovered a lot of things way ahead of time in any kind of schedule, we have two new Matsushiro lakes, one Angel got dangerously close to Lilith, mind you he even tried to hide the same invasion and he now has the secretary of the UN presuming to chide me. If not for the new piece in the board, we'd have no way of confirming what happened, or a convincing story for the UN."

Fuyutsuki was still smiling when he nodded, "I'm certain the help Robotnik is providing you is invaluable. And I'm sure Ms. Yamada means well."

"I am thoroughly annoyed. The woman thinks she has relevance. I guess the UN thinks the tail wags the dog, not the other way around."

Fuyutsuki finally recovered his serious demeanor, though he was still enjoying Keel's annoyance, "Irrelevant. Once our sacred work is complete and SEELE's scenario has been implemented, their inputs will no longer matter."

That sentence seemed to appease the old man finally. He still had final reprehensive words however, "You and Ikari just be sure you're doing your parts, and only your parts."

Fuyutsuki nodded and, after the hologram vanished, he sighed.

(SGE)

"This is Ryoji Kaji. I can't answer right now so leave a message."

There were very few moments in her life when she knew not what to do or say and she hated those moments. But not this one. In fact, in this particular instance she actually enjoyed not knowing what to say to the answering message when she finally gathered the courage to call the number she hadn't called in what felt like forever.

She enjoyed that silence so much that she simply smiled at her cell phone. Eventually she breathed out, "Kaji. I… I'm sorry… and, thank you… thank you for everything." She pressed the 'end call' button barely after she was done speaking. And again, something completely out of her character, speaking hesitantly and apologizing for something she wasn't sure what was.

"Asuka, what happened?" her best friend's voice cut in suddenly.

She simply turned around, not wanting Hikari to see her face, and gripped the dust sweeper in her hands more firmly and went back to sweeping the stupid corridor in front of her classroom, "Nothing, Hikari."

There was a moment of hesitation from Hikari, until eventually she spoke again, "Say, Asuka, are you, um, free tomorrow?"

Asuka looked at her again, "Huh?"

"I have a favor to ask you."

Asuka blinked.

"Actually," Hikari looked to the sides, embarrassed and as if wondering if somebody was overhearing. Slightly blushed she leaned in and whispered in Asuka's ear, "Do you mind going on a date for me?"

(SGE)

"EH?! A DATE?!"

Shinji froze in place immediately. He was just sweeping along Toji and Kensuke, while Rei was minding the wet cloths. He stopped dead on his tracks, looking at the closed sliding door. But no matter how hard he focused he couldn't listen to the end of the conversation. Only to the sound of water being splashed behind him and the footsteps going in his direction.

A broom hitting him in the head brought him back to reality, "Hey do it seriously!" Toji yelled at him.

Shinji looked at him, "Sorry," and then back at the door, wishing he could have heard what that was about.

"You're the one who should do it seriously!" Was what he actually heard from Hikari, when she and Asuka entered the room again.

"Anyways, sorry Hikari," said Asuka before returning to cleaning duty.

Hikari smiled all over at her, "Don't worry about it Asuka. I'm happy for you!"

Cleaning duty went on for a while but eventually Shinji's curiosity got the best of him.

"S-say, Horaki-san."

The class rep looked at him, "Hm?"

"What um…" This was very unlike and very new for Shinji. This was the first time he approached her like this, "What was… why are you happy for Asuka?"

Horaki smiled all over again, a faint blush in her cheeks, "Okay, don't say this to anyone. I'm only telling you because she's your colleague. She…"

"What?"

"She has a boyfriend."

Shinji had to bite both his lips to suppress his smile but he still blushed crimson.

Hikari almost laughed at the sight, "I know, right?" She elbowed him, "Don't tell anyone. Don't tell her I told you either."

(SGE)

"So you and Maya are really going together?"

Ritsuko smiled, unable to help the blush that tinged her cheeks.

Misato smiled, even if she was hesitating a little, seemingly surprised, "Well I'm happy for the two of you."

All of a sudden Misato's smile turned into a wide grin, then a laugh. She laughed so hard in fact, she was almost bursting her own gut. Her laughter echoed in the sync testing chambers, just before the glass overlooking the testing entry plugs. She pretty much broke the entire atmosphere that formed during the Sync testing ordeal.

Ritsuko blinked, unable to stop her own smile at her, "What?"

"Just two days ago I was talking about the mobian grim reaper, to mobians, who are sliders. Hedgehogs from another Universe." She took a deep breath, "The day before that I was telling the secretary of the United Nations that sliders are real. And working with NERV. And today I'm talking about a wedding and which dress to use to it, and about my love birds charges… And my friend who is about to… you know, with another girl." She shook her head.

Ritsuko let out a loud chuckle still blushing, especially at Misato's mention of 'her friend with another girl', "Sometimes, I can't believe my own life either…"

Misato wiped her eyes, her laughter finally subsiding. "Seriously though; do you think Asuka and Shinji being together, and trying to hide it from everybody, do you think it can affect their performances?"

"Not if these numbers are indications. Shinji's score is a little higher. But so is Asuka's. She's finally back to climbing, even though she's been always on top and Shinji was the only one climbing for a while now." She typed a few things and disconnected one of the main levers and then spoke to the com unit to all plugs, "Okay, you three can come out now."

Misato blinked and then narrowed her eyes "I think Shinji had reasons to not go so good today."

"What reasons?"

"Because of tomorrow."

Ritsuko nodded, "Ah, yes, tomorrow…" She smiled, "I guess he'll have Asuka to make him feel better if it doesn't go well. Even if they have to meet in secret."

(SGE)

Asuka could tell he was pleasantly surprised it was her instead of Rei getting in the elevator back home

She smiled. _Well of course he is._

"Hey stupid," she kissed his cheek.

His smile grew wider, "You're in a good mood."

She crossed her arms still smiling, "You got a problem with that?"

"Not at all." Blushing slightly, he reached for her waist. Asuka thought it was cute he seemed to expect some reaction. All he got was a snort and she didn't do anything to indicate he was not allowed to reach out for her like that, so he kept his touch.

It felt good.

"Where's Rei?"

His sudden question ruined it, "Humph," She threw a mesh of her hair behind her shoulder, "I told Wonder Girl she could use the next elevator."

He blinked, "Why?"

She looked at him, nudging the waist he was still holding and a slight scowl on her face.

His blush returned in full force, he looked away smiling, "Ah. Er… thank you." He smiled, scratching the back f his head suddenly, "And um… thank you for not going out with the guy Horaki wanted to set you up with."

Asuka blinked, then grimaced a little, "You were eavesdropping?"

"Well not really. I was just on the other side and you… you yelled out 'date'."

Now it was Asuka's turn to blush.

"But Horaki told me you said 'no' because you had a…" His blush returned, again in a crimson shade, "A secret boyfriend." He smiled again.

She sighed, "I told her not to tell anyone…" She went full smug mode on him again, "I guess you should be glad that someone like me recognizes you like this huh?"

He blinked, then his face went serious and unamused, but then he smiled, apparently joining in the joke, "Why yes, my princess, for I could never manage to bear losing you."

Asuka couldn't stop the little laugh that came then. Who even mentioned anything about losing her? Though it was kind of sweet of him to appreciate her like this. The classic 'if I didn't have you' cliché.

Shinji joined her in laughing, "Losing you would be like falling into endless darkness, it would be like being beaten and eaten by an Angel, it would be a fate worse than death."

His bolstering got her laughing openly now so she barely noticed when he was unusually bold and reached for her waist, embracing her and pulling her closer to him. Their faces were a few inches apart when he continued.

"Losing you would hurt so much, would cause so much pain, that everything around me would seem meaningless. Everything would just hurt. It would be like…"

Shinji then surprised her by losing his smile and looking very serious and backing his face away a little bit, "Like… like I would be in… so much pain that… that even remembering you would be painful… being reminded of you would be painful…"

Now Asuka lost her smile and the silence that came after he was done saying what it would be like to lose her was actually deafening. His face and body also went completely still.

Asuka frowned, more in confusion than in annoyance, at how seriously he seemed to be taking his own words, "Um, Shinji?"

He was still looking at nothing, apparently thinking hard about something.

"Stupid Shinji, you know I was just joking right? So were you?"

Hi mind still seemed to be elsewhere.

Asuka stammered, "I-I'm not leaving. Just like you promised you wouldn't leave either. Okay?"

"…"

"Shinji!" Now Asuka snapped, genuinely worried and almost angry.

He shook his head slightly, slightly recoiling from her, though he didn't stop holding her, "I-I'm sorry Asuka, I just… I think I just figured my dad out a little more…"

"Your dad?" She blinked.

Shinji nodded, "Yeah. Also, I… I know now what to talk about with him tomorrow…"

(SGE)

"I'm home."

"Welcome back," Asuka answered her as she still lay unmoving, looking at the TV, still lying with her hand inside the bag of chips.

"You should go to bed. Aren't you going out with Hikari tomorrow?"

"Yeah, yeah," but Asuka didn't leave her spot, simply eating another chip.

Misato hesitated in changing her clothes, looking at her.

Apparently Asuka felt her gaze and turned to face her, "What?"

"Where's Shinji?"

She looked back at the TV, "In his room. Apparently he knows now what to talk about with his father, and has been depressed about it for a while now."

Misato blinked. Asuka's indifference sounded rehearsed enough, but what really worried her was that she didn't see Shinji leaving the room when she arrived or something like that.

 _Lovers' quarrel?_ She found herself wondering as she changed into her home clothes, the loose tank top and jeans shorts.

"Shinji," Misato hesitated at his door. "I'm coming in."

She only slid it open. He was lying on his bed.

"Are you afraid of meeting your father alone?"

"Do things that remind you of your dad pain you Misato?"

Misato blinked, losing her stern expression and not expecting her ward to say anything, since he always stayed quiet when depressed.

He sat on the bed to look at her, face still dejected, still waiting an answer.

"Um… what?"

"You loved your father. Does being reminded of him hurt you? Now that he is gone, I mean…?"

Misato was actually speechless. Where was this coming from? He was usually so shy. Then again, there were occasions he stood up for himself, like the time he came back with Robotnik after running away. He even managed to secretly claim Asuka for himself. Maybe this wasn't so out of his element after all.

"Well?"

Misato shook her head. She must have been staring at him silently longer than she thought, "I um… I don't know. Maybe yes, probably."

He looked dejected again, facing the ground.

Misato's face went dejected and to the ground as well. That was probably not what the boy wanted to hear, "Shinji-kun, listen…"

He raised his eyes from the ground to look at her.

"You shouldn't run away, but if you don't do anything either, nothing will change."

His face became stone then. "…"

Misato's stern face returned. "…"

"What if what changes is I turn away from my own father for good?"

Now Misato sighed. _Ah, the teenage drama._

"You won't hate your father, Shinji. In fact, once you take that first step towards change, you will see the importance of it."

He looked down again.

Misato sighed, "Be confident tomorrow. You will be seeing your mother as well after all. Good night."

(SGE)

"What… what do you mean you're going out?"

Sonic smiled at him, "I made plans with Shadow and Silver back at base yesterday." He put on the scarf and backpack, "They are always on base or the Geofront and never get out. AND, since we've, you know, gone public, there's no reason to hold back, to hide."

Kensuke blinked, "Well, okay that makes sense… Just, um… just don't tell people where you live okay? I don't need the… extra press and attention."

Sonic laughed, "People would really harass you just for a chance to talk to me?"

Kensuke smiled weakly, "Oh you have no idea."

Sonic grinned some more and nodded, "We'll be safe Ken. And I also know what I wanna do tomorrow."

Now Kensuke blinked, "What would that be?"

"I wanna meet people. And I think I know exactly how to do that."

"How?"

"I might make some noise or something. Reach out for a lot of people at the same time. I'll see where simply going out takes me."

(SGE)

"What the hell are we doing Sonic?"

Sonic smiled at the black hedgehog who was having no trouble keeping up with him, jumping from building to building, "Avoiding the streets?"

Shadow groaned, "Because of all the stares and picture flashing we were getting just walking around, I get that. But why are we outside in the first place?"

Sonic winked at him, "You gotta have fun sometimes, Shadow. Weren't you the one complaining you don't leave the base?"

The wind was still crossing the both of them as they ran and boosted through the rooftops, "Silver was the one that whined about that."

"Hey! I'm further down here but I heard that!" Silver spoke for the first time, he was gliding at a lower setting, having to use his gliding and travel telekinetically on top of objects in order to keep up with the other hedgehogs.

Sonic laughed at Silver and gave Shadow a thumb up, complementing a jump maneuver, "Never the less, you don't get out much. Let's just enjoy this shall we?"

"So you do have a destination in mind?"

"I do. There was this concert near here last night and- wait there it is!" He said as he pointed to the concert dome in the distance.

Shadow grunted. Of course Tokyo-03 would have that kind of facility instead of a normal concert podium. The dome seemed to be dismountable, ready to be taken apart at a moment's notice. If there was, say, an attack in the middle of a concert, the thing could not only be evacuated of a lot of people quickly, it could also be dismantled almost instantly. That meant there had been a concert here recently. It also gave Shadow a clear indication of what Sonic wanted to do.

"What is that?" Silver asked dumbly.

"The faker wants to make some noise." Shadow sneered.

"Damn right I do! There was a concert here yesterday and the guys that played must still be around," Sonic declared, full of mirth and not at all affected by Shadow's demeanor "Let's go see if we can borrow their instruments!" he said as they all descended towards the dome.

Shadow grunted again. He sincerely doubted whatever pop band was still there, packing their things, would deny the obvious press they would get from lending their instruments to the hedgehog creatures from another universe for them to play. It seemed the three hedgehogs would 'make noise' after all. Shadow just went along with it, figuring that if he really didn't want to he would just have walked away from the other two hedgehogs.

(SGE)

"So, did you um… have you kissed him already?"

Asuka rolled her eyes to the side, blushing slightly, "Yes."

Hikari almost squealed at that, "Oooooh! What's it like?"

Asuka looked at her, blinked, then smiled, "Why the interest in the experience? You wanna try it?"

Hikari blushed more and went silent. Her silent was coupled with a hidden smile that pretty much confirmed Asuka's suspicion that she had for a few days now.

"It's the second stooge isn't it? The one that's always with Shinji and the glasses dork?"

Hikari looked at her wide eyed and her face was now completely red. She worked her mouth but no words came out.

Asuka shook her head, "I knew it. What's in that idiot that you like, that you keep staring at anyway?"

"S-Suzuhara is not an idiot! And-and he…" Hikari's blush was cute and her smile was honest, making her into a beautiful image, "He's kind…"

Asuka's jaw dropped and her eye twitched. _I guess love does make the woman prettier._

Her own cheeks flushed and she looked away from her friend. _Did people notice when I started liking MY idiot?_

She spaced out. She hadn't really admitted it, the closest she got was when he was visiting her at the hospital after the 'meteor' Angel, but she DID care a great deal for Shinji. _Maybe I should tell him that. Or…_

She blushed again at the involuntary thoughts that popped all of a sudden. _Or maybe I should… show him…_

This was not the first time thoughts of intimacy popped in her head without a 'boys are perverts' light, but it was the first time the subject was someone else other than Kaji. She didn't know if she was thankful or even more embarrassed that Hikari's voice cut her reverie.

"You're thinking about your boyfriend, aren't you?"

She didn't say anything but still blushed further. _Yeah, let's go with even more embarrassed._

"You gotta tell me who he is!"

Asuka lost her small smile, "No."

"Oh pleeease!" Hikari was almost bouncing on the spot.

"Hikari, I told you I wanna keep this secret. I don't want _my_ idiot bolstering or…" Asuka trailed off when she noticed Hikari started blinking and looking intently ahead of her, across Asuka's head.

"Huh? Hikari what-?" was all Asuka could mutter as she turned to see the same direction Hikari was seeing. The reason she just stopped talking was that there was a cluster of people, ahead of a stage, in a temporary dome, most likely for some sort of concert. However something caught her attention.

The dome was open, people were just clustering in. That was a free concert.

The two teenage girls eyed each other. "Well…" Hikari started, "We've nothing better to do…" Some of her blush returned with her smile. "And I think we've embarrassed each other enough talking about boys. You want to see what that is about?"

Asuka shrugged and they both started going to the cluster of people. "Though I gotta say, unless it's Rammstein on a free tour to Japan, I doubt I'll enjoy it."

Hikari laughed, minding her surroundings, "Apparently it's a band named ENOZ," She noticed some of the poster ripped and tossed about in typical 'day after the concert' fashion, "But it seems their concert was yesterday. What's 'Rammstein' any… way…?

Asuka couldn't tell at first why Hikari trailed off so ridiculously but when she looked the direction Hikari was looking, her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. Hikari had the same reaction.

The stage of the concert dome was within sight. In the distance, on top of the stage, she could see the strange forms she could recognize anywhere. Sonic, Shadow and Silver, the 'Alien Slider Hedgehogs' she had seen around NERV HQ so many times already were up there, setting the instruments. Yes instruments, it took Asuka a while to actually process what she saw but Sonic and Shadow were holding guitars while Silver was at the keyboard.

"My… those… those are the creatures that were in the paper! They helped with last week's viral outbreak!" Hikari was smiling all over, completely amazed and wide eyed, "They're REAL!"

She was already walking towards the crowd that was still sparse but obviously gathering to see the anthropomorphic hedgehogs. Asuka face palmed groaning but followed Hikari anyway.

 _Why not? Misato's at the wedding and stupid Shinji is probably still at the graveyard anyway._

 **Author's note: Big thank you goes to GamerJay for beta reading. Evangelion belongs to Gainax, Sonic belongs to Sega. The Japanese band ENOZ and the german band Rammstein referenced in this chapter belong to… well, themselves I guess. Also, there's this Evangelion theme song in English, by Geeky McGeekstein (search it on YouTube) that I will also be referencing in the Omake ahead.**

 **Well, already two chapters and the next one is almost done. Should come fairly quickly. It's almost done because I was planning on including the entirety of episode 15 of Evangelion plus the influence of the hedgehogs in one chapter. But it was turning out too big… Even when I edited out the 'pandering part', which was the concert from the hedgehogs, it was still turning out too big.**

 **So I thought, 'I can just divide the chapter and turn the pandering part into an Omake'. This is an** _ **actual**_ **Evangelion fanfic that has a** _ **concert**_ **given by Sega's mascot and his two fellow hedgehogs… The equivalent would be Shinji being a member of the band K-ON… If there's no good crossover fic between Evangelion and K-ON, there should be one… (hint hint)**

 **So, yeah, here it is. Enjoy:**

 **OMAKE: 'The Mobians' short concert, featuring ENOZ instruments and percussion**

Hikari couldn't believe her eyes. Strange colored humanoid hedgehogs were setting the stage, holding instruments of their own, plying a few chords sometimes, loud enough to be heard all around the open dome. Yesterday ENOZ concert probably wasn't free but they were still here, still setting things to leave but apparently they were the ones helping the hedgehogs with the instruments, until everything was actually set.

"Hi there everyone!"

Hikari wasn't the only one startled by the sudden boom of the blue hedgehog's voice that echoed the entire dome. She noticed a lot of people, including Asuka by her side, jumped along with her. She couldn't tell if it was the sudden loud sound or the fact that the hedgehog spoke.

"I'm Sonic! Sonic the Hedgehog," He continued talking to the mic and the gestured to the black hedgehog with the other guitar, without a mic. "And this is Shadow, and Silver." He gestured at the silvery hedgehog at the keyboard. Then his smile that could be seen even from where Hikari was faltered, "We, um…" Sonic's smile returned in full force, "We're the mobians!"

He wiped his nose grinning with confidence, "We, um, we only asked these ENOZ guys here if we could use the equipment that they were beginning to disassemble to go. You know, to make some noise. I didn't expect they to say yes and I didn't expect this many people to gather just in the time it took for us to get ready." He breathed, almost eroding the mic sound, "Nevertheless, let's do this."

He turned to the band members, Hikari noticed the one minding the drums was a human, maybe none of the hedgehogs could play the drums or maybe the ENOZ member was just filling in. After Sonic was done speaking, the beat came.

It was an angry guitar sound, too angry for Hikari's taste but at the same time it was uplifting, nonstop, lively. The first few seconds entranced Hikari Enough for Sonic to start singing:

" _Come on and light the fuse, He's a rocket and he's ready to go!_

 _Cause now the countdown has started and he's ready to blow!_

 _He's got the dope sounds pumping in a stereo,_

 _kickin' ass fast, putting on a show!_

 _Go on and get yourself together_

 _There's no time to rest, and if you put the time in He'll put you to the test!_

 _He's like a "running man", in this world more is less!_

 _And if you wanna test him best bring your best._

 _Don't make me spell it out, bring your best!"_

The same angry and lively beat, that could give life to anyone, somehow Hikari felt Sonic was talking about himself. The song didn't stop there, and even if it seemed impossible, the chorus developed in a glorious sound that complimented the song's message: Hikari truly felt this was the blue hedgehog's world.

" _In this world"_

Shadow and silver echoed "(HIS WORLD!)" in unison while still playing gloriously.

" _Where life is strong_

 _In this world (HIS WORLD!)_

 _Life's an open book!_

 _In this world (HIS WORLD!)_

 _Where compromise does not exist,_

 _In his world, the flow's every step meets the rest!_

 _In this world (HIS WORLD!)_

 _Where one is all_

 _In this world (HIS WORLD!)_

 _Never fear the fall!_

 _In this world (HIS WORLD!)_

 _Where compromise does not exist,_

 _His world, the flow's every step meets the rest!"_

The song ended after an equally awesome second part and after another hearty singing of the 'his world' chorus, complimented by sounds that, even though seemed to be coming from a drum beat that had never rehearsed that song, were still glorious and big on their own right. Hikari found herself cheering along with everyone else when it ended.

"Thank you, thank you everyone!" Sonic was smiling all over. He turned to Shadow and said something away from the mic.

The black and red hedgehog seemed to grunt but Sonic spoke again and as the exchange happened, on the stage and still going, Shadow sighed and took the mic from the blue hedgehog. Another song started. The guitar solo, this time from Shadow, played as Sonic gave more instructions o the drummer and to Silver. The volume and intensity of Shadow's guitar kept rising until finally imploding in a burst of life that was accompanied by all other instruments and then by the voice of the black hedgehog:

" _All Hail Shadow!_ _Heroes rise again!_

 _Obliterating everything that's not your friend!_

 _Nothing can stop you now_ _,_ _no ghosts to bring you down!_

 _When there's nothing left to lose_ _,_ _you win!_ _"_

The instruments seemed to go low for a while only for Shadow to keep singing.

" _Bow your heads low! All Hail Shadow!_

 _Bow your heads low_ _!_ _All Hail Shadow!"_

The guitars seemed even angrier on this song, but it was still upbeat and uplifting despite the overall theme of the thing.

" _Suffer long and it will set you free!_

 _Only through trial do we find the strength we need_

 _It's never over just another day_

 _Of hope and tragedies and everything that comes our way_

 _Determination of the strong_

 _Found the meaning that you've searched for so long!_

 _All Hail Shadow!_ _Heroes rise again!_

 _Obliterating everything that's not your friend!_

 _Nothing can stop you now,_ _No ghosts to bring you down!_

 _When there's nothing left to lose,_ _you win!"_

And again, after another few verses that got Hikari, Asuka, and pretty much everybody around them pumped up, it ended. Hikari noticed the crowd was at least three times bigger than it was when she and Asuka arrived. Asuka's smile seemed strangely out of character.

"I gotta say Hikari, I'm enjoying this more than I thought I would…" said Asuka as she applauded the black hedgehog who was already giving back the mic to the blue hedgehog.

"Thank you! Thank you everybody!" Sonic said before Hikari could answer, "Shadow the Hedgehog ladies and gentlemen!"

More people cheered as he introduced the black hedgehog again and went to the silvery hedgehog at the keyboard. They traded more words off mic; Sonic gave more instructions to the drummer and nodded at Silver.

After nodding back, Silver hands soloed the keyboard. It started off a sickly dream like techno beat that repeated itself, seemingly through infinity. It was then that he whispered on the mic that was now set in front of him:

" _And every night, I lay awake, I find the conclusion. And every night, it just stays the same. In my dream, of absolution."_

As the keyboard went on, now the drums and the two guitars kicked in. This time Silver wasn't just whispering, he was singing wholeheartedly.

" _In the night light, do you see what you dream_

 _All your troubles, are they all what they seem_

 _Look around you, then you may realize_

 _All the preachers, all with their lies_

 _And I might know of our future_

 _But then you still control the past_

 _Only you know if you'll be together_

 _Only you know if we shall last"_

Keyboard solo, coupled by a guitar that seemed to maintain the same techno beat, coupled with what Silver was doing with both hands on the keyboard.

" _In the night light do you still feel your pain?_

 _For the valor, you wait; it never came_

 _If you were able, would you go change the past?_

 _To mend a faux pas with one last chance?_

 _And I might know of our future_

 _But then you still control the past_

 _Only you know if you'll be together tonight"_

Hikari was amazed at how she never got tired at the same techno beat, with very small variations, the same of before that introduced the chorus.

" _Cause every night I will save your life_

 _And every night I will be with you_

 _Cause every night I still lay awake_

 _And I dream of an absolution_

 _Cause every night I will make it right_

 _And every night I will come to you_

 _But every night it just stays the same_

 _In my dream of an absolution."_

Silver spoke more of absolution, of dreams, the night and the past. The whole song gave out a 'time traveler' vibe. As the sound of the instruments started fading after a glorious solo of his keyboard and Sonic's guitar combined…

" _And you'll see all you can be_

 _'Cause every night, and every night_

 _and every night, and every night_

 _and every night, and every night_

 _I will dream, I will dream_

 _And you'll see, and you'll see_

 _Yeah, this is my dream_

 _What you'll be, what you'll be_

 _And you'll see, and you'll see_

 _Every night, I will always dream, yeah_

 _And every night, and every night_

 _And every night, and every night_

 _And every night, and every night_

 _I will dream, I will dream"_

…He laid down the end of the song, elating it, elevating it, interchanging his own voice repeating the final verses in an emphatic tone, to the point his voice was stronger than all other instruments.

Silence.

Then the audience roared. Applause and cheer all over.

"Silver the Hedgehog, everybody! Thank you! Thank you so much!" said Sonic back on the mic as the cheers started dying out. He seemed to think about something and then spoke again, after placing the mic back on his spot, so he would sing again, "This is about a friend of mine, one that really needs more confidence. I hope I can help him in what he needs to do here."

Again he looked at his band members, giving instructions about what to play. An impossible thought crossed Hikari's mind: Were they improvising all of this, just playing because they came across a temporary concert dome?

" _Like an angel who has forsaken sympathy,_

 _Rise up, young boy, and make yourself a legend!"_

Sonic's sudden start of singing that came with barely any instrumental cut her train of thought. But now the instruments kicked in, in a glorious dance like beat, different from the techno stuff of the previous one.

" _Blue skies and beckoning winds are trying to open the door of your heart._

 _But you're gazing at me as if you cannot see you just stand there, smiling vacantly._

 _Your eyes hold such innocence; you're blind to the fate that will soon come to pass._

 _But it's summoning you with a touch like a sigh; you seek it without knowing why._

 _But, someday, I know that you will be awakened and your eyes will finally see._

 _These wings on your back are just waiting to guide you; the future will soon set you free!"_

It was also more lively in an epic kind of way instead of uplifting, as if the song regarded the end of the world that was described in the previous songs and uplifted some boy, presumably Sonic's friend as the music went on.

" _This cruel thesis, a spiteful angel's litany,_

 _Will soon soar from the window of your destiny._

 _White-hot pathos, a desecrated symphony;_

 _Stay true to this and don't betray your memory!_

 _Come now, reach out - you must embrace reality!_

 _Rise up, young boy, and make yourself a legend!"_

In true Sonic fashion, a mean guitar solo gave way to the second part of the song, and it ended as abruptly as it began, after a lot of sound build up and extra emphasis on the word 'legend'.

"Thank you Tokyo-03!" Sonic screamed in ecstasy as the once again cheering started dying out. He drank a glass of water that apparently came out of nowhere, "Now this one I made with a friend back from where I am from and it goes to another friend of mine from here. Another friend of mine, and the first one I made here, the one that took me in, gave me a place to be at."

The usual giving instructions pattern and the beat that began now was on Silver Keyboard. And even though it was still lively and upbeat, it was slower than all other songs, like a good ending to a small playlist of spirit lifting. The other instruments also began, also slowly, as Sonic began singing, again the slowest song so far.

" _Good times and bad times,_ _I can count on being with you._

 _I thank you for staying so true_

 _My life will go on a long time, have to catch up when I see you_

 _And You are my reason I can make it through_

 _I will give my word that I will come in time to rescue_

 _My heart will always be with you_

 _I'm so glad I met you being with me wherever,_

 _We're made for each other forever_

 _I know life can be tough on you time and time again_

 _Laughter maybe gone away_

 _I will wipe away my tears to-morrow_

 _Life must go on, that's the reason that you travel away_

 _I will be there if you need me_ _a_ _nd I know you'll do the same_

 _I can see you, I can hear you in my heart_

 _You will be here if I need you,_ _I will never have to guess_

 _Cause we are very special friends"_

The song went on, strangely out of tone with the rest of the concert. Hikari noticed this one caused people, couples mostly, to slow dance. Waving hands were also seem. The song went on, talking about friendship and all the nice things about it.

Unfortunately, police officers were entering the vicinity of the concert, approaching the people. Hikari blinked and noticed Asuka looked just as confused.

Something passed across Asuka's eyes and she turned to Hikari's ears, "This is not authorized! They must be starting to disperse the crowd because of disruption of public order or something!" She was practically yelling at her friend's ears.

This somewhat frightened Hikari, "We… would better go then."

Asuka nodded and they started moving away from the crowd.

After a few minutes they were away, just outside the dome. It had more people leaving and the music had already stopped. The hedgehogs must have been broached by officers.

As they kept walking away, Asuka smiled again, "Well it was fun Hikari. Even better than I had hoped."

They were already reaching the intersection where they'd have to go their separate ways. Hikari smiled, "It was for me too. Don't think you're off the hook in telling me who your boyfriend is."

Asuka waved goodbye, apparently going away fast pacing.


	3. Longing Another's touch as a Storm brews

**Chapter 3:** _ **Longing for Another's touch as a Storm brews**_

"Well guys… that was fun. We should definitely play again sometime, even if it's only to rehearse. You sure you don't wanna do anything else? The night just fell you know."

Sonic sounded as optimistic and cheerful as he managed in a very long time. He really did need to make some noise, and right now he and his fellow hedgehogs were just chilling out on top of one of the buildings of Tokyo 03, away from prying eyes. Too bad police interrupted their concert due to disruption of order, too many people clustering at one place too fast.

Shadow grunted but it was Silver that answered him, "It was fun being with you today Sonic, but we have things to do at HQ.

Sonic rose an eyebrow, "What are you guys doing on HQ anyway? I know the place is huge but you don't even explore it like I do. And didn't you guys complain you never left?"

Shadow spoke suddenly, still stoic, "We may have uncovered something. Tomorrow we'll check it with inspector Kaji. You just happened to call us out on an important day."

Silver nodded, "Well, we'll be seeing you Sonic."

Sonic almost said something about going with them as the silver and black hedgehogs left but he really wanted to run through Tokyo 03 some more. Not to mention he thought about Shinji for some reason.

"Well, come to think of it, I've never been to his house…"

He smiled after saying that to himself and started running towards the Katsuragi household. His thinking about Shinji started nagging him in a negative way though. He then realized he had a bad feeling involving Shinji. He boosted upon realizing that, and when the apartment building he was going to came into view, he realized why.

Shinji was on the roof top, on the very edge of the building. Sonic screeched to a halt on the adjacent building roof top and wondered out loud with a slight scowl, "Am I crazy or is he about to jump?"

(SGE)

Misato sighed, frowning at the empty seat beside her.

 _Why the hell do you even care that he is late you stupid woman?_

Despite the fact the environment around her, all the glamour and finesse that was a modern day wedding, she still found a way to get grumpy and the champagne was not nearly strong enough to get her through this. She wished she had at least one can of Yebisu. She was gonna have to pour down these long glasses with a base all night.

As if purging these alcohol thoughts from her mind, a touch she still recognized grasped her shoulder.

"Yo. Sorry I'm late. You look beautiful," She turned to the still stubbed face with the same goofy grin waving and sitting down. Not to mention his tie wasn't even tied properly, "I couldn't finish work in time."

"You are unbelievable," She said as she let go of her glass suddenly to straighten his tie, startling him, "You're always late, always unshaven and spends a lot of your time goofing off!" She straightened herself back into her seat.

Kaji laughed, "If someone saw you just now they'd say you look like my wife."

Misato's laugh was dripping with sarcasm, "Who would ever want to marry you?"

(SGE)

Kaji laughed again. And then wondered where Ritsuko was.

"Hmmmm, what's, funny?" Ritsuko slurred suddenly, before Kaji could ask Misato where she was and arriving with Maya carrying her around her shoulder.

Kaji blinked, taking in the sight of Maya and Ritsuko wearing an almost one piece strapless dress, Ritsuko's was blue adorned with a rose, Maya's was light yellow adorned with a flower. Her looks were somehow enhanced by the fact Ritsuko now had short spiky black hair and was no longer bleaching it. It was no surprise Ritsuko wasn't holding her liquor half as well as Misato but it was surprising to see Ritsuko and Maya acting like they were a couple.

 _Am I imagining things? One way to find out._

"Maya, Rits. You two look beautiful too. So, are you ladies, ahem, going stag?"

"Not exactly," Ritsuko said, smirking. She glanced at Maya, and she, in turn, went as red as a tomato instantly.

Kaji blinked again smiling, "I suppose we should enjoy ourselves…"

(SGE)

Misato was pleased the entire night, it didn't matter she had to have more champagne than everyone else, her high kept her the whole night. She said goodbye to Ritsuko and Maya leaving together and every talking went smoothly. She took a quick break to get her cell phone and call home, warn Shinji that she was going to be away longer than she thought and, though for some reason Shinji didn't pick up the phone and she had to leave a message at her own answering machine. She then drank and laughed and reminisced everything about collage and about Kaji.

But now that she had even throw up every content of her stomach in an alley and was on her walk home, all that was left now was the dreary feeling of post sickness. It certainly didn't help that she was being carried by Kaji, piggy back style. She slurred something about age when Kaji made some comment on it and he answered something about high heels and then her wrist was scratched by his stub.

"Why don't you shave?" Thankfully she sounded almost normal again.

"Okay, okay," he didn't sound like he was agreeing with her to finally shave.

"I'll walk now thanks."

(SGE)

After a few more steps under the night lights, Kaji thought: _Wow… uncomfortable silence between me and Katsuragi. I didn't think that was possible…_

He changed that by commenting, "That was a very crazy night… honestly didn't see the whole 'Maya and Ritsuko' thing coming…"

Misato couldn't help but laugh at him, "I did. I could tell you a few stories from back when we were in collage…"

The dark street seemed to make the comments fall short.

"Kaji, I… I think I have changed."

The change of topic was so sudden he couldn't say anything in retort. Not even a cheesy 'you're even more beautiful' or something.

"I broke up with you saying there was someone else but… that was a lie. Did you know that?"

"No…"

Of course he did. One of the things Kaji was already training for back then was how to read people. Tell if they're saying the truth or not.

"I noticed you were like my father. I noticed I… I was longing for my father in men… ever since even in high school, after I left recovery…"

This actually made Kaji narrow his eyes. Misato never spoke of the time she spent in the recovery ward of the hospital after Second Impact, much less of the time after she left recovery, that being the final high school days. He knew she wasn't a virgin, nor inexperienced with men when they dated but this was entirely new.

"I was so scared when I realized that. So scared…"

"…"

"Being with you. Being a grown woman. Everything was scary."

Kaji again said nothing, only the sound of his steps.

"I couldn't even face it all head on, like Sonic does. Or at least try to solve it like Shinji does. I… just kept falling in the same cycle of action, like some sort of vicious circle. I hated my father, but loved a man like him. I joined NERV to forget everything, but that was just a purpose for my revenge against the Angels."

She stopped walking when he didn't say anything again.

He half twirled to face her, "You chose to do that, Misato. You don't have to apologize. And I think it's a bit unfair to compare yourself to a supersonic slider hedgehog or even to a teenager…"

"No!" She raised her voice suddenly, "It wasn't a choice!" She shook her head, still dreary and standing still, but still almost yelling, "I ran away! I was just running away from the chains that were my father."

(SGE)

Right then and there she almost said 'just like Shinji' but didn't. Instead she smiled blankly and said, "Even Shinji takes the reins of his own life sometimes. He took Sonic's words to heart and just ignored mine! Look what it brought him; He has Asuka, and by now he has probably confronted his father. Whereas _I_ am still drinking myself to sleep every other night!"

Kaji appeared to mumble something under his breath. Maybe it was 'that's enough'. But now that the flood gates were open, there was no way she even _could_ stop, even if she really wanted to.

"I'm drunk, I'm being honest just because I'm drunk! I have no right to preach Shinji!"

Kaji spoke again, this time clearer and louder, "That's enough."

"I'm a hypocrite because I rely on men for my convenience! Just like now! Just like always! I used you! Just like I used every other man I've been with!"

"That's enough!"

"I'm so disappointed in myself! I'm so disgus-"

Kaji's lips smashing against her own finally shut her up. All of a sudden her fears, her worries, all of her pain disappeared. After the initial shock she realized it was all still there, but smaller. More manageable. She didn't know when or even how she dropped her high heels and put her arms around his shoulders. Upon being closer to him, the darkness vanished completely. She didn't know how but that didn't matter either. Nothing else mattered at this point.

All that mattered to Misato at that point was Kaji's touch. And all she knew was that she didn't want to go back to her own apartment tonight.

(SGE)

"I'm home." She entered the living room, going out of the entrance porch. "Shinji?" She asked when nobody said 'welcome back'.

She put her fists on her waist and asked no one in particular, "Is that idiot still at his mother's grave?"

The apartment gave her no answer, nor did anything or anyone else. She shrugged and passed by Penpen sleeping in his cushion, and empty tray of fish in front of it. The apartment suddenly gave her a general feel of death and depression.

"Geez. This place is horrible with nobody else in it," again, silence was her only response.

She went to the bathroom, contemplating if it was wise to say goodbye to Hikari, even though it really was already kind of late and her ears were still kind of ringing because of all the music she heard the mobians playing. Upon going back to the living room, she couldn't help but look towards Shinji's room. It was slightly open. Through that little crack, she saw him (mostly just part of his white shirt) lying on his bed.

She put her hands on her waist and frowned slightly, "Well you are home after all! Didn't you hear me arriving or using the bathroom?"

"Sorry Asuka," his voice echoed the same lonely dejection the apartment was giving out. This was in fact a dejection worse than she ever heard in his voice.

 _Sheesh, maybe it's his aura that darkened the apartment._

He still made no motion to do anything really, not even when he apologized for not acknowledging her. Because of that she was quick to dismiss this as just a bout of depression, one that was still burning from yesterday, before he even went to the grave.

She sighed, "I'm opening your door."

The sound of the door sliding open was the only response she got. He was still lying on the bed, very still, very motionless. He was partially hidden by the head of his bed and the desk in front of his bed. Asuka realized she wouldn't get anything from him and she wouldn't want to hear about her boyfriend going to his mother's grave, so she just stood there speaking, demanding attention without even looking at him.

"I loved my day with Hikari. We talked about you. Ah, don't worry I didn't tell her it was you. And about the stupid jock stooge," She was already smiling, "Get this; Hikari likes him. But that's not even the greatest part of the day. We saw the mobians playing at a concert."

She laughed, and only now she realized Shinji was yet to show any reaction whatsoever to her talking. This was starting to get a little frustrating.

"Didn't you hear me, stupid Shinji? The hedgehogs played a little free concert this afternoon," She finally took a couple of steps into the room, almost subconsciously; "You should have seen the hedgehogs playing Shinji. I mean, it was weird enough that they are human like hedgehogs but to actually see them making good music on a stage…"

She couldn't help the small laugh and smile that came to her face as she said that, approaching her still silent boyfriend in his bed.

"And… ah…" but her next words died in her throat and her smile vanished instantly when she looked at him.

Really looked at him.

There was no awareness in his eyes. Nor was there any light either. It was like it was the eyes of a dead person. It was as if this wasn't Shinji, but just a lifeless mannequin wearing his clothes. The fact his ears were plugged with something didn't help at all. Upon closer inspection she noticed he had an SDAT in hand. Who even still hears cassette tapes anyway? He didn't even bother rewinding the tape once it was over because the thing was turned off in fact. Did he even turn it on at all? He was just lying there completely motionless.

The image of him lying on his bed was giving out a clear impression of un-life. That's how still he was, how depressed and sad he looked, how catatonic and lifeless his eyes appeared. What disturbed Asuka most about the sight was that his stillness and the lack of light in his eyes gave out the very strange and very real impression that he was dead. Asuka shivered when she realized she would have thought he really _was_ dead if not for the slight heaving of his chest every time he breathed.

"Shinji…" There was nothing usual in her reaction. She would tag stupid to his name right here but this time she just couldn't, "Shinji, what's wrong?" She sat beside him, on his bed.

"He hates me Asuka," he still didn't move, not even flinching like his lips did.

Asuka blinked, "Who?"

"Father."

Asuka would have sighed and maybe called him stupid now, saying that he was just being a drama queen teen. But she couldn't because there was nothing except brutal honesty in his voice right now. It also explained the way he was just oozing out, emanating and springing forth depression and sadness.

When she noticed he wouldn't say anything else other than that …

 _I probably don't wanna hear the answer to this, but I gotta ask._

…she asked, "Why do you say… Why are you so sure about that?"

"…"

"Why do you think your father hates you Shinji?"

Asuka was actually disturbed at how he still didn't move, nothing except his mouth and his breathing movements, even when he started speaking openly and continuously, retelling the events of his day, starting on when he went to sleep the day before.

"It started yesterday night. Shortly after Misato spoke to me through my open door. I heard the two of you commenting something about a dress just before I closed my eyes again…"

(SGE)

Shinji heard Misato and Asuka commenting something about a new dress when Misato left his room, closing his door but it didn't matter. Nothing would change how he felt; he would not just stop being depressed. He closed his eyes but it was to no avail. He was still wide awake because of the sadness gnawing at his bones. He knew he wouldn't sleep, just lying in bed wide awake and feeling like crap. After his talk with Asuka, he probably knew how his conversation tomorrow would go. Yet he would do it none the less. He had to know.

And so the morning came. Of course he didn't sleep, of course he said goodbye to Asuka and Penpen still feeling dejected. Of course the whole way to the graveyard was a haze. So, as he crossed the sea of grave stone marks that made the landscape, he was still pretty much feeling just as he felt since the night before. The situation did not improve when he finally saw his father. They simply nodded at each other. Shinji was planning to make some kind of small talk, maybe ask about photos of her.

 _Why would my teacher lie about this? Say he destroyed everything about her when she…_

 _When she died…_

 _I don't even feel like my mother is here… maybe even this grave is… fake?_

"Is she even here?" The question was out of Shinji's mouth before he realized, the dejection and depression still eating him away as he crouched in front of the metal tomb stone.

"No. It's only an ornament. There's nothing left."

 _So, really fake. As I thought._

"I don't even remember her face…"

"People live by forgetting the past. But there are things you shouldn't forget. Yui taught me that important fact."

That actually made Shinji stand from his position. He supposed that was a good time as any to ask.

"I come here to reaffirm that."

Very slowly and very deliberately, he turned. Fear was still eating away every movement of his, even his breathing.

His father took note of his staring, "What?" He still sounded stoic, even when genuinely confused.

 _I mustn't run away._

"Father," He breathed, "There's someone I like."

Shinji wished he could see his eyes, because there was no reaction whatsoever.

"I recently found out that… if I was to lose that someone I like, I would… it would hurt. And… after losing her, even being reminded of her would pain me."

His father still appeared to be made of wood, "Is this about the Second Child?"

Shinji had to stifle a gasp. How did he know? "Um… I… promised I wouldn't say but… the point here is: pain. Losing her would pain me and…"

Still no reaction from his father.

He scratched the back of his head. "Losing mom pained you right?"

"Of course."

Shinji realized he was holding his breath, "Being reminded that she is gone pains you?"

"Don't ask questions to which you know the answer."

Shinji gulped and then frowned slightly. This was it. He released the breath he was holding, took another deep breath, he looked down and closed his eyes to repeat his 'I mustn't run away' mantra to himself again and then opened them to look directly into his father's dark glasses.

"Do I remind you that mother is gone?"

Shinji could have sworn he saw the left part of his face twitch. After a while he finally asked "Is there a point to this?"

"Does _my_ existence pains you?" The words came tumbling down, almost running over each other, as if Shinji couldn't ask that question fast enough.

The VTOL from NERV came barging in the distance. Of course Shinji couldn't tell his father was quiet because of the VTOL's noise or if it was because of the question he asked.

"It's time. I'm going back."

Shinji actually narrowed his eyes when the man turned to the VTOL, to leave, "Father."

He half turned to look at his son again. Wind of the VTOL in the distance messing up his clothes.

"Won't you answer my question?"

"Don't ask questions to which you don't want to know the answer."

Something inside Shinji's chest broke, came cracking down as the man that meant so much to him once again turned away and started going for the VTOL. One of the things he wanted most was to be accepted by his father. He may have told himself otherwise in the past few months as a Pilot, as someone who heard Sonic saying what he was doing to doctor Akagi, as Asuka's boyfriend, especially since he started being Asuka's boyfriend. But if that was true then why was he feeling like barbwire was constricting his heart right now? He didn't know what face he was making to the back of the man walking away but he did see Rei Ayanami's face inside the VTOL, and she was looking back at him with a very worried expression. It was rare for Rei to even _show_ any expression.

He still felt the same dark constriction like pain. He wasn't sure if that was ever going to stop. Which made him remember the words he told himself not so long ago; if you want the pain to stop for good, then you should just kill yourself.

(SGE)

Asuka rarely wasted any time with pity, except of course if it was pitting those inferior to her, in order to stroke her own ego. But in this particular occasion it was different. She wasn't pitying someone lesser than her. She was actually pitying, being sorry for someone she cared for.

 _So this is what true pity feels life…_

"I can't cry, Asuka."

"Huh?"

"I feel the sadness, but the tears won't come…"

What he said, her own personal conclusion and her staring down the broken lifeless form of Shinji Ikari made her feel helpless. She actually felt helpless. Something she hated so much and swore more than once it would never happen again. Something happened when she thought about that; as she watched Shinji lying there in his state of unlife, she saw a woman's feet dangling off the ceiling.

"ULP-" barely containing the urge to retch, she ran to the bathroom and barely reached the sink. The vomit was everything she ate with Hikari. Then she heaved some more, head bobbing down the sink, until it was over, until all that came out was jut liquid.

"Asuka…?"

She turned to the still open entrance of the bathroom and was glad he was still alive, still able to move. Still caring for her enough to come to the bathroom entrance to see if she was really vomiting. "I'm okay Shinji really. This…" she cleaned her mouth with toilet paper, looking away from him, "This wasn't you; this was… just a reflex from a bad memory." She started washing her mouth at the sink and watering the sink that now had most of the contents of her stomach.

He seemed about to retort something then but the phone in the living room rang.

"I'll get it," Asuka said closing the bathroom sink, "You can just go back to lying down okay?" She taped his shoulder as she passed him on her way from the bathroom to the living room.

She was at the living room with the phone still ringing and Shinji was back in his room. But she couldn't move to get the phone. She didn't want to speak to anyone right now.

 _This stupid helplessness… It's because I want to help him but can't. I really can't, can I? What can I possibly do to help him? What could I-_

BEEP "Hey, Shin-chan, it's me," the beeping of the answering machine followed by Misato's voice recording a message cut her thoughts off, "I'm drinking with Kaji. We're having a little third party if you will. I'll be home later than I thought. Take care and go to bed without me, okay?"

CLICK.

 _Humph. Yeah right. You will probably be away the whole night, Major whore…_

…

 _I probably shouldn't think like that. I'm over Kaji. He can do what he wants. With whomever he wants. I have Shinji, so I also can… do…_

She blushed crimson when she saw where her train of thought led her as it drifted off. At the same time it clicked in her head.

 _This is what I can do for Shinji._

She went back to his still open door, glancing inside she saw he was lying in his bed again.

"Shinji, listen, I'm um… I'm gonna take a shower. Then I want you to take a shower too and come into…" She hesitated and her cheeks burned, "Come into my room."

She didn't bother waiting for his answer and then went straight back to the bathroom.

She showered, fairly quickly for her standards and went to his room door.

"I'm done Shinji. Now you shower and come into my room like I said, okay?"

That was all she said before entering her own room and going for her closet. She was pretty sure her night gown she had bought just for special occasions was clean. She hadn't worn it since her last failed advance on Kaji back at the 'Over the Rainbow' but washed it nonetheless.

 _Yeah, here it is. It's_ _clean enough._

(SGE)

Getting out of bed and showering like his girlfriend told him to was all a haze. There was no awareness of the passage of time, he didn't even know if he showered properly. But all that haze, all that foul mist that paralyzed him vanished, his fears melted away, becoming distant and manageable, the moment he walked into her room.

She had the most beautiful flushed cheeks, complementing her embarrassed expression. Yes, she actually looked embarrassed. Her beautiful red hair was loose, without the nerve clips that she liked so much, which was odd, but she looked even prettier with her hair down like that. But it was what she was wearing that really counted as a heart stopping pain reducing wrench.

It was a nigh gown, one used only in special occasions. It was skimpy and pink, with the parts that didn't hide her privates made of a see through pinkish silk. He had to hold his own stomach for some reason while scratching the side of his thigh and his pants already felt constricted in the crotch area. But what surprised Shinji the most was that the pain he was feeling was really gone. Everything seemed more manageable now.

He gulped when Asuka patted her side in the bed, invitingly motioning him to sit beside her in it.

When he did seat beside her, his nervousness swelled without limit. It was like he was never in pain to begin with, all the depression gone, his heart free.

"Stupid Shinji… this is all that I can do for you…" he really thought he would lose it when she whispered that. He started shaking when she grabbed his hand.

It was funny. Not so long ago, if Asuka, or even Misato or anyone else had tried to offer themselves as way to ease his pain, he would probably have recoiled away, being completely afraid of intimacy. This time, whether it was because he was already used to Asuka or because his girlfriend had made this as easy as possible for him, he didn't recoil away. He, in fact, held her hand like she was holding his. From that point on it went on to more and more, despite how nervous he was and how his face was probably redder than hers was. There was only one truth in that moment, a moment most people spend a life time waiting, a perfect moment.

That truth was; he was about to lose his virginity.

(SGE)

Shinji was now caressing her bare shoulder as she slept on his chest. She looked so peaceful sleeping on him, even though the both of them were still as they had been for a few minutes, clothing wise. It was amazing how nothing about this picture embarrassed him. The flush in his cheeks was totally gone and he was just enjoying the afterward sensation. Just being close to her like this.

 _This is even better than when we cuddle in the mornings…_

Now his blush returned somewhat.

 _But what we just did was… very nice too…_

Very nice was a huge understatement. Shinji never dreamed he could feel that kind of ecstasy just by being with another person. This made him feel even worse for not telling her the whole the first time after he got with her today, he grimaced in pain.

"I'm so sorry Asuka," he whispered as he caressed her face with his hand not on her shoulder.

He was glad that that didn't wake her up and couldn't help but think of everything else that happened to him today, after his talk to his father at his mother's grave…

… _About two hours ago, shortly before Asuka got home…_

(SGE)

Shinji was surprisingly calm as he climbed the stairs of his apartment building and went to the area he had never gone before; the roof top area. He didn't bother thinking about why the lock to the roof top was open. He didn't bother taking in the new surroundings of the building he lived in, he didn't bother seeing if someone else, maybe a janitor or anyone, he didn't bother with anything really. All he did was walk toward a suitable destination.

A ledge he could jump from.

Still in a red haze of sorts, still feeling like his heart was wrapped in barbwire; he found an open ledge, at the very top of the building. He still felt nothing except the barbwire, he still had the same dark goal in mind and he was still surprised at how calm he was during this entire ordeal, this small path he walked, these few steps he took until he was looking down a fall of at least 18 feet.

Would it be enough to kill him or would he just break a lot of bones? Would he feel any pain if he did die? Would it be instantly? Only when those kinds of thoughts started popping in his head did he feel some sort of anxiety, something he expected to feel ever since making this decision. Well he didn't really make this decision, it was just something he felt that, if he did do it, the pain would end. Everything would end.

Everything would end. He just wanted relief. Sweet relief. That possibility is what drove him to take that step out of the ledge, casting himself off the building he lived in.

Then a blue blur of motion not only stopped his fall before it began (he ran up the building, probably. Following the path Shinji would fall through) but also was now beside him and holding his arm since Shinji was still close to the ledge, still looking down.

"Shinji! What are you doing?!" Exclaimed a voice Shinji recognized.

Only now did Shinji look at his savior, not only because of his lack of focus but also because of how fast the blue creature was. Sonic the Hedgehog was standing beside him, holding his wrist.

Shinji whimpered when he realized how tight the grip on his wrist was and then just pleaded, in a state akin to panic and shame, "Please, Sonic, just let me go! Let me jump! I should just die!"

"No! Shinji, I will NOT let you do this!" blue quills shook from side to side as the hedgehog shook his head strongly and decisively.

"Please!"

"NO! Why would you even do something so uncool?!"

"My dad hates me, Sonic…"

"What?"

"He hates me. I remind him of mom, I remind him of what he lost. I cause him nothing but pain just by _being_!"

Sonic blinked, mouth open and a dumbfounded expression on his face, though his grip on Shinji's wrist did not lessen. Shinji realized he wasn't crying. It hurt so much. Why wasn't he crying?

"So please! Just let me die!" Shinji squirmed his arm.

"No-"

"Let me end it all!" but Sonic's grasp wouldn't even lessen.

"NO! Shinji look," he now grabbed his face with his other hand and forced him to look straight into his emerald green eyes. Shinji noticed he was on the verge of tears, unlike Shinji who still wouldn't cry, "You don't have to care so much about what other people think of you by, like you said, simply being!"

Shinji closed his eyes so he wouldn't have to see the honesty and the worry in those big green eyes, "But he's my father!"

"Then to hell with your father! To hell with anyone that thinks you're troublesome just by being!" The hand on the wrist let go and now both white gloved palms were on Shinji's cheeks, causing him to open his eyes again, looking down on the hedgehog holding his face with both hands, "You have a lot to live for Shinji! What about the people that DO care about you?!" Sonic licked his own upper lip, "What about Kensuke and Toji?! What about Rei?! And Misato, and your duty to fight the Angels?!"

Shinji was silent, but it was the final question from Sonic that really vanquished at least some of the barbwire in his heart…

"What about Asuka?!"

… and although he still didn't cry, still felt the sadness but just couldn't cope with it, although the pain was still there, he collapsed to his knees. Any resolve to kill himself gone.

(SGE)

Sonic stayed in his apartment for a while longer but when he apparently realized Shinji wouldn't move out of his bed or do anything else along those lines like he said he would, he left. Shortly after he left, Asuka arrived.

And here he was now, with the most beautiful girl in the world, sleeping nude on his chest.

' _What about Asuka' indeed Sonic…_

Then something unimaginable happened; he smiled. And though he was still looking at Asuka, he looked upwards slightly, and thought of the blue hedgehog of earlier…

 _Thank you for saving my life, Sonic._

…and now he looked back at the sleeping form of his girlfriend. Worry creased his brow.

 _I'll hide nothing from you, Asuka. One day I will tell you what I tried to do today… just…_

He kissed her forehead and caressed her cheek again.

… _not today… not anytime soon…_

He finally felt like drifting to sleep then.

(SGE)

He finally had arrived. 2008 meters further down after he breached Central Dogma, here he was. Terminal Dogma. With all the kinds of military warnings about shooting trespassers on sight.

 _LCL production plant? Inspector Kaji was right, this should be interesting._

And now that he was directly in front of the main door that would tell him what the Angels were after, one of the main pieces of this universe…

CLICK.

…he widened his eyes at the sound of a gun being engaged and to the back of his head, just below his top quill.

 _Impossible._

But he accepted the fact of what just happened and slowly raised both of his arms, "Not many people can sneak up on me Major…" The only name that came to him at that moment was Rouge.

"So, Shadow," The gun pressed more to the back of his head, Misato was probably thinking she'd have to be very quick to be able to shoot him, "On your free time you play free concerts and sneak into secret parts of HQ?"

"Playing the concert was Sonic's idea."

"And this sneaking in was an idea from the Ryoji Kaji who is from the special inspection division of NERV? Or was it from the Ryoji Kaji who is also from Japan's ministry of internal affairs?"

"How did you find out about that?"

The third voice, coming in suddenly, made the gun pull away from Shadow's head to the side, the source of the voice. Shadow turned to see Misato pointing her gun at Kaji.

"Don't underestimate NERV."

He had sent the main elevator to catch said inspector while he and his fellow hedgehog. That's why he didn't even made a reaction when he could, when Misato's gun was no longer on him. Shadow knew what would happen now.

FRZZZZZZ!

Following that zooming acute sound, Major Katsuragi's gun was enveloped in a blue light that Shadow was familiar with, was out of her hand making her face go wide eyed in shock and possibly scared too. The gun floated to the side where everyone saw Silver the Hedgehog, walking in. The gun landed in his hand. Also glowing with the same blue that was around the gun. The glow vanished when the gun landed and stopped moving.

Misato narrowed her eyes, but didn't raise her hands like Shadow thought she would, "If you continue on this path, you will die," she addressed Kaji, but then looked to the hedgehogs, "That goes for you slider boys too…"

Shadow grunted, "Big words coming from someone that would probably never shoot her lover, no matter what secrets were kept."

Misato stared at him, blinking and with a shocked scowl.

"Oh please, I can still smell him on you," Shadow couldn't help but blush and look to the side as he said that.

"Misato, you don't have to forgive me for keeping this from you or do anything to thank me for, ahem, letting you stay over yesterday, but I will say this," Kaji said it as he walked towards the door and slid a card he pulled from his pocket on the lock, "Commander Ikari and even Rits-chan have also kept secrets from you."

The door drummed to life and started opening. The door was almost as big as an Eva and it actually took nearly a whole minute for the thing to stop roaring as it opened, but even when it wasn't fully open yet they could see what lied inside.

 _Sonic was right. HQ DOES have something the Angels want._

Standing tall, taller than an Evangelion Unit, crucified in a red metal cross was what seemed to be an Angel. A purple mask with seven eyes stared dully at nothing, a marshmallow like body, not fully grown below the waist and with deformation that gave out a creepy eerie feeling to it. This was worse than Lord Doom, this was hands down the creepiest creature Shadow ever saw.

The huge door was now fully open wide. So were Misato's eyes. In a rare moment of empathy, Shadow wondered how Misato and even Silver felt looking at that abomination.

"So this is what the Angels are after, the so called 'father' that Tabris mentioned? What Sonic said they wanted to get to?" Silver spoke for the first time.

Kaji nodded minutely just one, "Yes. This is the key of Second Impact. And of everything that started since then. It's Adam."

"Adam… the first Angel is here?"

Shadow was surprised at how terrified Misato sounded, though as usual, he didn't show it, keeping his expressionless face as he too stared at the white giant.

"A reunion with our father. That's what Tabris said he and his brothers wanted…" said Silver to no one in particular.

Misato grunted, narrowing her eyes at the white abomination "You guys are right. I don't know NERV at all!"

 **Author's note: Sonic belongs to Sega. Evangelion belongs to Gainax. Big thank you goes to GamerJay for beta reading.**

 **Eep! Sorry this one was a bit dark. Shinji and Asuka need to get their crap together because it's all downhill from here, only getting worse and worse. Also sorry if I went a bit too much into mature content on this chapter, guys. I did edit out the mature rating stuff from this, leaving only the implications. If you'd like to read the mature content stuff, check out my other fic, "Sonic Genesis Evangelion: What you didn't read". Should update it with bits of Asuka\Shinji and Misato\Kaji in the next few days**

 **Well, we're heading to the final bits of the story guys. Only one final Mobian tangent to go, only six Angels left.**

…

 **I AM HYYYYYPED!**

 **First story is great isn't it? I don't care if I needed two books and still got at least fifteen more chapters on this second book to go. I'll see you guys next time. Reviews are greatly appreciated.**


	4. The Storm is Coming

Disclaimer: Evangelion belongs to Gainax, Sonic belongs to Sega.

Thoughts of gratitude: Big thank you goes to GamerJay for beta reading.

 **Chapter 4:** _ **The Storm is coming**_

It didn't matter how much Sonic tried not to, he kept seeing that image.

 _He actually took a step into air. He was going to jump off his building…_

That was something so alien to Sonic, so unimaginable. Why would anyone do something like that to themselves was so completely beyond him that he couldn't help but still think about it.

"Um, Sonic…?"

"What's up Ken?"

Kensuke blinked, "Are you alright? You barely touched your breakfast."

Sonic couldn't even process how surprised he was that his chili dog was barely eaten. Ignore the novelty of how Kensuke and Kensuke's father were already used to him and how he liked chili dogs for everything, including breakfast. Ignore he was probably showing a very sad face right now, very unlike him, which was probably another reason Kensuke asked him that question.

"Um, Sonic…?" he stared at Kensuke in silence, which led to another question from the teen.

Ignoring all that, he still needed help. "Listen Kensuke…"

The teen blinked and focused on him.

"Shinji… he…"

"What?"

"He needs help. Needs his friends. Keep on being there for him, no matter what. Alright?"

"Um… Okay, but-"

"Can't say anymore. That's Shinji's secret to tell."

Kensuke just appeared even more confused.

"I gotta go to NERV," The hedgehog stood up, put on his scarf and his backpack, "Rits mentioned something about a new test for me, Shadow and Silver."

The way to the Geofront was a haze of sorts. Sonic was never this worried about something, to the point he would barely notice himself running. He enjoyed running so much, it took something really heavy to take his mind off of that. Then again, he never had any experience with suicide either, so it was probably justified that even his favorite activity suffered.

BUMP!

"Hey! Watch it!"

Which was probably why he never noticed Silver on his way as he crashed into him, already inside the Geofront and near NERV HQ. When did he even cross the underground bridge leading to the big cave?

 _Man this whole universe is really starting to get to me…_

"Whoops. My bad Silver, um…"

Silver blinked, "What's with you? You actually tripped while running?"

Sonic scowled then smiled, recovering part of his attitude, "Hell no! Sonic the Hedgehog doesn't trip!"

"That might work on Silver, but not on me, Sonic." Sonic and Silver turned to see Shadow, also approaching HQ through the fields of the Geofront, walking towards them, "What happened?"

Sonic sighed, "Again, not my secret to tell."

The other hedgehogs just shrugged him off and they kept their walk to NERV HQ. Eventually, after going through the checkpoints, all of which they had clearance now, they reached the usual work station they were usually at. The one with big testing chambers connected to several computers that you could tell were originally meant to test Evas instead of Mobians. And it was then that a glasses wearing, spiky black haired scientist with loose clothes beneath the lab coat, that had gone through all those changed thanks to them (which brought a weak smile to Sonic's face, despite how he still felt) greeted them.

"Hello boys! How are we today?"

Maya was right behind her and Sonic noticed what had been nagging him about these two girls ever since the day he stopped Shinji from committing Suicide. They both looked happier for some reason.

 _Never would have taken me this long to notice something like that before… Man, what Shinji did really messed me up… well, better late than never._

"Say Rits, you and Maya seem extra happy these days for some reason."

Maya blushed and Ritsuko just smiled all over. "Well, so what, Sonic?"

He raised an eyebrow, "Any particular reason? Shinji could use some extra happiness…"

 _Oh crap, did I just say too much?_

Ritsuko blinked, "Why do you say that? He and Asuka seem extra happy lately in fact."

 _Phew. Guess I didn't. Wait what?_

"What do you mean?" the last thing Sonic said to Shinji on that dreadful day clicked in Sonic's head and he smiled, "You mean they seem closer? Are they dating?"

Ritsuko blinked, then smiled, "Well, they are still keeping it all a secret, but yes. I suppose something happened recently to bring them closer together as well. Why?"

(SGE)

Relief flooded the hedgehog's blue face and a big sigh of relief escaped his pink muzzle. This puzzled Ritsuko somewhat.

"Erm, nothing, Ritsuko. I think Shinji will be okay now."

Ritsuko blinked, "Did something happen to Shinji?

"Just the heaviest handed thing I ever had to deal with," what he said was ridiculously contradictory to how he waved both his hands dismissively.

Ritsuko narrowed her eyes, "If one of the pilots is in trouble-"

"He's not in trouble. I think. Not anymore at least. And again, not my secret to tell," Sonic made two more dismissive gestures with his hands, "So what are we doing today?"

Ritsuko's smile returned, "Ah yes, today we have something different. I figured, since I gathered enough data for a… Eva related project, I think I can gather the same kind of data about you guys."

Ritsuko thought it was interesting and amusing that the three hedgehogs blinked in unison. But the hard part was going to be now.

"How do you boys feel about going inside a tube of LCL?"

(SGE)

She came out of the bath again without bothering to put a bra under her tank top, since Shinji left all the hot water seaming and she was still feeling that heat, and smiled when she heard the remnants of the morning talk in her living room.

"Huh? Shinji, did you do something different with the soup?"

"Yes, Asuka. It's 'bonito'. A souvenir from Doctor Akagi."

Her grin grew wider as she couldn't help but barge into the conversation, "Shinji, did you know you forgot the hot water just shimmering in the bath? You naughty little boy…" her voice was dripping with honey.

Shinji was too busy blushing crimson to apologize. Misato was just as equally amused that, as always, she had the same effect on the poor teen by just hugging him from behind and talking in a sweet tone.

"GET YOUR COUGAR PAWS OFF HIM YOU OLD HAG!"

Normally Misato would just shrug off Asuka's yelling and over reactions but this time was different. This time she could honestly tell Asuka had taken her teasing dead seriously. She blinked as she raised her hands, away from the boy.

Asuka's expression didn't soften but she seemed to have realized she had just over reacted because of something that was supposed to be secret.

That caused Misato to recover her smile, "Oh? Is there a reason a woman shouldn't be clinging on to Shinji-kun like this, Asuka?"

Asuka scowled again, "You just keep your perverted hands to yourself and to your personal idiot. Enjoy your restored relationship with Kaji and don't bother anyone else okay?"

Misato turned her face to the side, "There is nothing between Kaji and me."

Asuka sneered, "Right. That's why you didn't come home the night of the wedding and why he left that indecent message on your machine just now while you were in the shower."

Misato blushed at Asuka's casual mention of her coming home only the next day a few days ago, but then she blinked, "What message?"

Asuka 'humphed' as she turned towards the phone of the house and pressed a button in the machine on it.

"Yo Katsuragi. I found a good bar. How about tonight?"

Misato actually blushed and her mouth twisted in embarrassment as the machine said the time and day the message had been recorded.

"See? You have no right to mother us! You disgusting hypocrite!"

"Asuka," Misato was actually glad Shinji came in her defense. He whispered something in her ear. Asuka's face instantly soothed after Shinji was done saying whatever it was he said. Asuka grumbled something ineligible again and walked away.

However, before Misato could comment on what a great job Shinji just did in calming a feral beast down, her phone rang.

(SGE)

Maya thought it was so interesting that Ritsuko could make her heart beat fast and her face flush crimson but all it took was 'being at work' and she could act all professional around her. And Maya could do the exact same thing around Ritsuko. With some reluctance the hedgehogs agreed to go through the same procedures Rei went in order to get the Dummy System of the Evangelions going. And now they were breathing normally, floating in three separate glass tubes of LCL. Luckily the oxygenation procedure also worked on them, probably because they too breathed oxygen.

 _Amazing how they actually look different without their scarves, gloves, shoes and backpacks… And they even said this… 'naked' like form, this is how they usually walk around. They look nothing like Rei did floating in that._

…

 _That's another amazing thing here. With Rei's help we've developed an 'auto-pilot' for the Evas. We are even already able to test it._

"Are all these readings correct Maya?" Ritsuko's question cut her inner monologue.

"Yes, Ritsuk- Doctor Akagi." She blushed upon correcting herself.

Ritsuko smiled at her then looked all business like addressing the hedgehogs, turning on the com units to the test tubes.

"Alright boys, you're doing great. I'm leaving the rest of the readings with Maya here, so talk to her if you have any questions. I need to go set up the routine sync testing of the pilots."

Sonic grunted, "Yeah I have a question. You weren't satisfied with poking us and seeing what we can do, now you're making us swim in this vicious stuff?"

Ritsuko blinked, then smiled, "This should help us get data on how to transfer your abilities to the Evas, Sonic," She straightened her glasses, "I'm… sorry for any discomfort."

Sonic sighed, "I'm uncomfortable only because I don't like being inside liquids, doc. This one isn't so bad since I can breathe in it but if you want data on Mobians relating to those big robots, how come we're the only ones here?"

Ritsuko blinked, "What… how do you mean? Are there more mobians in our universe?"

She could see Sonic blinking inside the test giant tube, "Robotnik is a mobian too doc…"

Ritsuko's jaw dropped. Because Robotnik was human it never occurred to her the fact that he was from the same universe as these strange hedgehog creatures. It was like every implication of that hit her simultaneously, including the implications involving Lilith.

She shook her head as if thinking of the white giant in Terminal Dogma haunted her. Sometimes she viewed the trust her senpai (and now girlfriend too probably) put on her as a curse. Why did she have to know about the white abomination in Terminal Dogma? She was thankful Ritsuko's phone suddenly rang, again cutting her dark inner thoughts.

"This is Akagi," she addressed her phone. Then narrowed her eyes at it, "What?!"

(SGE)

"Wait, wait, slow down!" Misato turned to focus even more on her phone, which served to puzzle Asuka and Shinji even more. What the hell was that phone call about? "What do you mean 'Hokkaido's inhabitants are falling asleep'? What? Okay, hold on, we're on our way!"

She shut her cell phone and addressed the teens again, this time all business like and stern, "Shinji, Asuka. No goofing off today. Let's get to NERV."

Asuka sighed, "Of course it attacked on a Sunday."

Shinji gulped, "Is it really an Angel?"

"That's the problem. We don't know. And apparently it's in Hokkaido this time, not Tokyo 03."

(SGE)

Central Dogma's command room was again with an unusual buzz of activity. Unlike even when there was an actual Angel attack. Technicians were sorting out reports, reviewing scans of the affected region, which happened to be Hokkaido, sorting out the spots of the happening, trying to pin point an epicenter. On the central platform, Ritsuko was overseeing everything. The sound of a door opening behind her made her turn to see Misato entering in a hurry.

"You're late."

"I know. Shinji and Asuka. I'm sorry," She told her then addressed the room "Status report!"

"Reports coming from all over Hokkaido!" Shigero yelled out, "Some of them are even stopping in the middle!"

"The reports are diminishing and responses and coms are going dead, so it's safe to say they are true!" Makoto exclaimed.

"Just what exactly is going on? The populace of Hokkaido is actually falling asleep?"

"Yes! Reports came from every major city of the island! For absolutely no reason!" Answered Makoto.

"How does this involves us?" Misato asked.

"Because, like the lieutenant pointed out, there's no reason for it to be happening, which suggests paranormal nature in the event," This time Ritsuko answered while moving forward and typing a few things in the keyboard of her central, "And because of this," she pressed another key…

BLEEP.

…and the main holographic screen of Central Dogma showed a map of Hokkaido with mountains and city specification down to the last detail. No names came up however, because there had to be space for the other thing it was showing, which was some sort of foul mist displayed in red.

Misato narrowed her eyes at it, "What is that?"

"That is probably Chaos Energy," Answered Ritsuko.

Misato looked at her.

"It's shown in red because of 'Red Pattern' indications, but the MAGI is withholding its conclusion as to what it is."

Misato then back at the main screen, "Where are the hedgehogs and Robotnik?"

"Robotnik was engaged in something else, the hedgehogs were being tested in a new endeavor of mine. They should all be here soon."

"And our observation units?"

Ritsuko straightened her glasses, "They are seeing nothing. This area in red displayed on the map can only be detected by our pattern scanners."

"And what exactly is that… invisible red mist doing?" Misato's tone as the questions rolled in kept getting more and more irritated.

"So far the only reported occurrence is the people of Hokkaido falling asleep on the spot," Hyuga helpfully told her, "A few car accidents because of people falling asleep on the well but no casualties or severe injuries reported so far."

"That may be only because there's no one awake to report it!" Misato grunted, "Why is Commander Ikari out at a time like this?"

All the while Ritsuko was thinking, _An 'invisible red mist' that makes people fall asleep. What next?_

(SGE)

Sonic still felt like the orange gunk was still all over him. His fellow hedgehogs walking by his flanks as they went to Central Dogma probably felt the same way since they too were tugging at themselves and walking with certain discomfort. That discomfort disappeared as they saw who was up ahead, also going towards Central Dogma.

Sonic sneered, "Eggman."

Robotnik turned to the three of them and gave them a nervous grin as he straightened his dark glasses, "Hedgehogs," His face twisted as he sniffed them, "The lovely doctor Akagi had you boys being tested with LCL?"

Sonic groaned, "Spare me, egghead. I can still feel that orange goo all over me…"

Robotnik blinked, "My my, aren't we in a foul mood today."

"Apparently something terrible he can't talk about happened to Shinji," Silver spoke up.

"Hey Silver! Come on! I said it was a secret."

"I didn't say anything. Neither did you. All you said that I repeated now was that something happened to Shinji."

"Yeah, well, even so…"

"Enough. We're here." Shadow cut their small talk that was happening as they took the final steps to the main entrance of Central Dogma.

Indeed, there they were and upon entering Robotnik immediately took a seat and started typing in the keyboard, hurriedly seeing what was happening.

"Why is Commander Ikari out at a time like this?" Sonic heard Misato commenting.

Sonic put both hands behind his back and Shadow crossed his arms while Silver just stood there while everyone else worked. After a long wait (at least for Sonic's standards) Robotnik started speaking. "Indeed, this is caused by Chaos Energy. The MAGI seems unable to identify a Red pattern with accuracy because this… red mist if you will, is seeping in from outside."

"Outside of what?" Misato asked.

"Outside of, for lack of a better term, our reality. It is just… appearing out of nowhere, much like the Angels do."

Ritsuko narrowed her eyes and asked, "Is this really angelic activity then?"

Robotnik hesitated, "Well-"

"That is not correct doctor," Silver said suddenly cutting Robotnik off, gaining the attention of almost everybody in the room. "That… pattern of activity, especially since it is Chaos Energy applied to such a big area… Something similar happened in my future just before Iblis appeared…"

The room fell silent with Silvers declaration. After a while misato asked him, "Iblis is the, um, 'god of crisis'?"

Silver simply nodded, a slight, terrified movement, "Yes. I had no idea back then that he was in coalition with Mephiles, the same entity that told me Sonic was the Iblis Trigger. But this seems pretty similar to then."

Ominous silence befell the room as everybody took in the fact they may be taking on 'the mobian grim reaper' sometime soon. Silver was the one to break it again, scratching the back of his head, "Well, at least I got some good news." He addressed Ritsuko, "Doctor Akagi, can you tell show us this same area, only from the angle of the sun?"

Ritsuko blinked, but did as the hedgehog asked, rerouting satellite imagery and the hologram of Hokkaido twisted and turned, coming from the same angel as would the sun. A lot of surprised gasps were heard when they realized that the red mist formed a very clear image of a spiral like tube, heading from everywhere in Hokkaido towards the very center of Hokkaido.

Silver didn't waste any time and pointed at what the red cone was pointing towards, "That's the epicenter. Whatever is about to happen, happens there first."

Misato narrowed her eyes and turned to Ritsuko, "Is that a city?"

Ritsuko nodded, "Sapporo. The central and main city of Hokkaido."

Misato looked at Silver again, the image of focus, "What will happen there?"

Silver scratched the back of his head, "I don't know exactly. Maybe Iblis or Mephiles show up. But either way: that means that in about a few days' time, the island of Hokkaido will be wiped off the map, starting there, in Sapporo…"

Sonic blinked, deciding to finally speak for the first time since he entered Central Dogma, "Didn't you say there were good news?"

Silver nodded, "That's the good news. We know where it will happen."

Then Sonic looked sad and worried, "Um, Silver, dude…" He shook his head minutely, "I don't think you understand the concept of 'good news'…"

Silver groaned, "I'm just trying to put a spin on it, okay? A casualty that big… Mephiles has got to be there… In person… Regardless if he's the one doing it or Iblis." He then crossed his arms, "It seems they are starting to pave the way for their master, Solaris…"

Misato seemed about to say something but then the alarms blared all over Central Dogma, flashing red behind the holographic screen, making the 3D projection of Hokkaido almost a background prop, screaming all over that there was a red alert. Sonic, Shadow and Silver went to battle stances as they glared at the red words all over, every tech in the lower decks seemed to refocus their efforts.

As for the three main techs on the upper deck; Aoba and Maya seemed very fidgety but it was Makoto that took the cake in saying the stupid obvious, "I um, hate to pile on the bad news but… we have blue pattern confirmation… There's an Angel…"

(SGE)

It was probably because Silver said that Hokkaido probably still had a few days and all that was happening to the people so far was they were falling asleep, but Misato was still amazed at how fast the focus shifted and every standard procedure had already been under way, even before a warning was sent to Hokkaido. But then something weird happened; the cameras and observational decks were finally occupying the screens of Central Dogma but it was showing just the empty city.

"W… wait a second… nothing? Is… is this the live feed?" Misato sounding confused while an alert state was on was pretty rare and off putting.

Aoba seemed in actual physical pain as he reported, "Y… Yes! …there's nothing… we, um, we have the blue pattern confirmation from every radar, satellite and even our sonar based detectors. Heck we even know the location and speed…"

Misato blinked and looked at Hyuga.

He nodded, "It's true. Target is moving forward at 2.5km per hour."

 _What target?!_

Maya spoke then, "Evacuation of that district will be complete in five more minutes!"

Misato narrowed her eyes at the blank screens, showing nothing but the city, "So… The city seems empty… though everything can detect it, nothing can actually _see_ the Angel…"

"Um… what are you guys talking about?" Sonic asked suddenly.

Misato, along with a lot of people in Central Dogma, even Robotnik, turned to the hedgehogs and to see they were focusing on the giant main screen as if they were seeing something very bizarre. Sonic was blinking, alternating his gaze between the screen and Misato.

"Sonic, what's wrong?" Misato addressed Sonic but her gaze was minding all the hedgehogs and the mustached bald doctor.

"Um, it's… right there Misato…"

Misato blinked, looked at the screen that was showing nothing but the evacuated city before looking back at the blue hedgehog, "What's right there?"

Sonic blinked, twisted his mouth in a way Misato recognized as 'being weirded out', "Um right there, hovering over the city! It's a weird zebra thing. In the form of a sphere." He pointed at the screen.

Now Misato blinked and was probably making a weirded out face, a few techs in the vicinity that heard him were also looking at him strangely. The screen of Central Dogma still showed nothing.

Sonic looked around blinking before speaking again, "Oh come on guys, it's right there, huge and with black and white zebra like stripes! Am I crazy here? What-"

"You're not crazy Sonic," Shadow spoke suddenly, stepping forward with arms still crossed, "I can see it too."

"Yeah, me too," Silver also spoke, as suddenly as Shadow and also stepping forward, "It's a bizarre sphere like thing, just like Sonic said, though I'd say the stripes of a zebra are different than that. Those stripes are… ugly…"

It was then that Robotnik spoke, scratching his chin, also stepping forward "Extraordinary… only mobians, only beings embedded with Chaos Energy can see it…"

Sonic blinked, "What do you mean Eggman?"

He shrugged, "I can't see it either. It appears it has not only the regular capabilities of altering space, of existing as a mathematical impossibility, but…"

Misato crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at the red clad doctor, "But what?"

"It has some sort of… 'Chaos Energy Wiring' around its own space. So much so that only beings that can experience Chaos Energy," he gestured the three hedgehogs nearby, "like our fellows here can actually see it."

Sonic put both fists in his waist raising one foot a little, "So… Only mobians that juice and loose can see this Angel?" He blinked, "Cool!" Then he frowned, almost going into a battle stance, "Wait, no, not cool. How are the Evas going to fight something only we can see?"

(SGE)

Rei observed.

As of a few days ago, something had changed in the Second Child. Not in her behavior per se but in her over all posture, in the general everything about her. She couldn't put her finger on it but there was definitely something there. It was something Rei noticed in the past few days. And now that they were changing clothes in the same dressing room again, on one of the rare occasions that both girls changed clothes in NERV's dressing room, there was yet another small change that Rei at least thought she perceived.

 _Does she… smell like pilot Ikari?_

…

 _No, I must be imagining things. Why would she-_

"What?!"

Rei realized she must have been staring, "It's nothing pilot Sohryu. Excuse me."

Finally clad in their plugsuits, they walked out and met up with Shinji. It was still somewhat strange to treat Shinji on first name basis, even on her own head. And now the change in pilot Sohryu was more evident as they joined with the Third Child. She would have inquired one of them on the change in pilot Sohryu and how it related to Shinji but they were suddenly gone and Rei was in a flat white plane.

 _Wait. What?_

In a rare showing of expression, she widened her eyes and looked around. Even more surprising, she was really in a totally white environment. Everything was white, sterile and stale. And there was absolutely nothing. Not even the ground below her plugsuit clad feet felt anything against them, no smells or sensations either. She also could have sworn time stopped flowing as well.

 _This… presents a problem. What is going on?_

She didn't bother calling out for anyone or anything. Because there wasn't anything or anyone. All and only white, as far as the eye could see. She would have started walking about, trying to figure something out but then, not ten seconds after everything around her went white, she was back at NERV corridors. There was a blue blur and the world had returned to her somewhat. Though her fellow pilots could not be seen, she did see her supposed savior.

"Sonic the Hedgehog. What is going on?"

Sonic actually stopped, turned to face her as he blinked and finally smiled at her, "Wow, Rei, you can see me? Did you realize when time stopped?"

 _Time stopped? Is that what that white sterile world was?_

"I… believe I did. What happened?"

"Half of the angel is a space manipulator while its other half is a time manipulator, much like another monster I fought before back in Mobius," His smile broadened, "With the help of my past self. So don't worry, I can fix-"

But then he was cut off by the flow of time returning to normal, the blurry edges Rei was seeing in the colors around her gone, and the fluidity of existence returned to her perception. Sonic had disappeared while pilots Ikari and Sohryu were back in the corridors ahead.

"Hey First, let's go already!" Pilot Sohryu's sudden yelling snapped her head to see both of her fellow pilots ahead of her, Auska annoyed, Shinji worried, walking away as if nothing had happened.

 _They didn't experience what I just did…_

She resumed walking.

 _Sonic did seem surprised I was able to notice that… 'time had stopped'…_

Her walking became faster and she quickly reached her fellow pilots.

 _Some knowledge about this Angel. I must report this during or at least after debriefing._

The reasons as to why she was able to tell an Angel creature had stopped time whereas others could not ranged from her classified nature all the way to the classified experiments doctor Akagi performed on her so it just escaped her mind.

(SGE)

"You're telling us stupid Shinji gets to go to Hokkaido while me and Wonder Girl stay here to fight the Angel?"

Misato sighed, "Yes Asuka. The hedgehogs gave specific info about what's happening in Hokkaido, with Sapporo as the epicenter. Shinji will be flying in an Eva carrier to be dropped there while you, Rei and the hedgehogs stay behind to fight the Angel."

"And," Shinji timidly spoke this time, "Only the hedgehogs can see this… stripe sphere Angel?"

Misato spared him a concerned look, "You don't have to worry about that, Shinji-kun. Rei and Asuka will fight with the help of the hedgehogs, so there will be no trouble."

The usual sensation of relief as she had succeeded yet again in debriefing children for combat. No matter how many times she did it or much she told herself that it was the only way, the tingling sensation of awfulness was still there and she hated separating Shinji and Asuka like she was doing right now, but one Eva was needed in Hokkaido. She was about to order them to move out but…

"Major Katsuragi."

…Rei stopped her. She blinked, surprised and the oddness of Rei interrupting a mission, "What is it, Rei?"

"I have reasons to believe Sonic and maybe the other hedgehogs as well, will soon be involved in some sort of time travel event, where they will disappear, being unable to fight with us because they will be fighting something else, something capable of stopping time."

Misato blinked again. The stoic girl kept her face expressionless even as she spoke all that. It was Asuka that broke the awkward silence that formed after her little speech.

"Ha! You just love getting some extra attention when you can don't you Wonder Girl?!"

Misato was about to shush Asuka and question Rei further on this, since anything regarding the Mobians challenged her suspension of disbelief, but then her phone ringed. By the number she saw it was current mission related business. So she silenced Asuka with a small gesture and answered her phone.

"What is it Aoba?"

"Um, Major…" The line sounded distant for some reason, and Aoba sounded scared, "Major, they're gone."

Misato blinked, "What? What do you mean? Who's gone?"

"The… the hedgehogs. They're not on the departure point by Units 00 and 02 anymore. And they're not answering their com units…"


	5. The Storm hits

Disclaimer: Evangelion belongs to Gainax, Sonic belongs to Sega.

Thoughts of gratitude: Big thank you goes to GamerJay for beta reading.

 **Chapter 5:** _ **The Storm hits**_

The fuzz around the corridors leading to the Eva cages was in its usual higher than ever level that it usually was whenever there was an Angel attack. Technicians, engineers and even some computer geek types ran around the corridors and computers rooms responsible for maintenance and activation of the Evangelion Units. She got dressed in her plugsuit, reported to the cages and took her seat in the entry plug, where it was inserted into her Eva. Everybody running around and working there seemed on edge.

 _I suppose it's expected. We're fighting an invisible sphere and the only ones who could see it disappeared…_

She tossed a mesh of her hair behind her shoulder and grabbed both her elbows as she waited for the final signal telling her to mount on the entry plug. She grunted and walked around one side to another, twirling nervously.

"Don't tell me you're getting edgy…" she didn't even have to turn or finish hearing the sentence to see who it was.

"Hey stupid!" she exclaimed while turning to face Shinji in his plugsuit clad form, "I don't _do_ fear. That's your role," she said smugly then put her fists on her waist, "What are you doing here? The pilots are supposed to be in their Eva cages."

Shinji shrugged, "I got nothing better to do in my own Eva's cage, than to just wait for the entry plug to be ready. I thought I'd wait a bit of that time here."

Asuka grinned, "You're gonna tarnish your perfect on time reputation if you're late."

Shinji smiled broader and approached her more and now they were very close to each other. Asuka could tell he would have held her hips as he usually did when they were alone, but just stopped in front of her, "Can you believe how far we've come, Asuka?"

"Hm?" The red head stared into his eyes. Ever since that special afternoon of the anniversary of his mother's death she found that doing that was particularly soothing.

Shinji blushed but didn't look away from her eyes, "I mean… I… I never would have believed if I told myself before coming to Tokyo-03 that I would have…" He blushed further, looking away a little.

Which made Asuka smile wickedly and slur in her most teasingly tone, "Yeeesss?"

He looked at her again, "A-accomplish everything I accomplished."

Still with the teasing tone, Asuka asked, "What accomplishments?"

"I'm a better pilot, though not the best," He bowed his head at her slightly, "And," he reached for her hand and pulled her even closer to him, "I'm dating the girl of my dreams."

Asuka's smile became even smugger, "You better get used to only being with that dream girl of yours, 'cause you will NEVER be the best pilot."

In a rare display that delighted Asuka, Shinji's smile gained a little smug, "I'll have you know that if we weren't together I'd be focusing solely on beating you at piloting."

Raising one eyebrow and making her voice drip with sarcasm, "Right, I'm sure you'd be doing a marvelous job…"

"My score has been rising more than yours. In fact if we keep up as we've been, eventually I WILL catch up to you. If we weren't together I probably would have already."

Now Asuka actually frowned, losing her smile almost completely and crossed her arms, "You've been going easy on me in the sync tests just because I shoved my tongue in your mouth?"

Not losing his smile and retorting still with confidence, as if expecting her to say that, Shinji said, "I think you wanna say I am distracted by your tongue in my mouth Asuka. So much so I can't think of anything else, or do anything else right," she blushed at that and her blush increased when he once again took her plugsuit clad hand in his own, "You're my whole world."

She had to look away, part of her hating how he could cause that effect on her. She would have scowled harder because of how much that seemed like vulnerability but instead she smiled, not saying anything.

So he then scratched the back of his head, "I suppose it's a good thing though, that none of this actually happened."

She looked at him again and blinked, "How do you mean?"

"Can you imagine how insufferable I would become if I became number one in sync testing scores? AND was still an unwanted virgin?"

She laughed, even blushing slightly again when he mentioned the virginity status, "No, I can't even imagine that."

Shinji nodded at her, "I would probably even do something stupid like charge ahead in an Angel battle, trying to show you up or something…"

Asuka laughed again, "And I'd still be as lonely as I was before we hooked up, my ego would be so wounded that you surpassed me that I would probably rile you up to do just that."

Shinji blinked, the smile he was wearing faltered, "Um…"

And only now did Asuka realize how cruel what she said was. "Geez, did I really just imply I would send my boyfriend to his death if he wasn't my boyfriend and he ever became a better pilot than me?"

Shinji made soothing gestures at her stammering, "W-well, it was in a hypothetical situation we wouldn't be together, probably even hate each other."

Asuka took his words in, actually seeing he would try to soothe her even over something so small. Then she smiled, "Will you chill out? You're just so much fun to tease."

Shinji blinked, then almost groaned, "Is this really the best time for teasing?"

Hiding her own trepidation towards what was coming, Asuka shrugged, "You're going to fight 'death' in Hokkaido and I'm going to fight an Angel I can't see. Could be our last chance to tease, so…"

And now, for the first time since they began talking, Shinji appeared distraught, "Oh… right…" He said as if only then realizing what was about to happen.

Asuka rolled her eyes, "You're such an idiot…"

Shinji smiled, "Thank you for trying to calm me down. Alleviate the… situation."

Asuka would have said something about alleviating him in a more direct manner but didn't, she just turned to the side blushing slightly, surprised her own brain reached that kind of thought.

 _He's supposed to be the pervert Asuka, not you…_

Shinji seemed about to say something but then he just quivered slightly appearing even more distraught, "Good luck defeating the invisible Angel…"

Asuka nodded and hesitated before answering, "Good luck killing Death. The mobian Death I mean…"

Shinji appeared bashful, "Kind of wishing the Mobians hadn't disappeared now…"

"HAH! Like I'd need those freaky hedgehogs from another Universe to kill that freaky invisible sphere!" She closed her eyes and continued smugly, "Just you wait stupid Shinji; I will defeat this Angel and be the only pilot able to say 'I defeated an Angel with my eyes closed'!"

His smile became a grin, flashing his teeth at her, he approached her more and Asuka just knew what he wanted.

She looked to her sides and to her back, making sure nobody was looking at their direction or close enough to notice anything unusual. When confirming the commotion of preparation for battle was too great for anybody to look their way, she embraced him and planted her lips on his. The kiss lasted as long as they could, lingering on details and sensations, and Asuka notice something else that changed since the afternoon of the anniversary of his mother's death. He was kissing her as if he owned her.

 _Pervert… nothing short of losing your virginity would give you confidence right?_ She thought, still lost in his taste and touch.

In yet another rarity, another first time even, he was the one to break the kiss, "I should go back to my own Eva cage now…"

Asuka nodded and he turned. He was heading to his Eva cage room as she turned away from his exiting form…

"I love you, Asuka…"

…but she froze right then and there, and upon looking back he was still walking away. Apparently he said it not wanting to hear some sort of answer.

It hit Asuka as suddenly as he said it. This is what was different. This was where he got an edge on her. This was the first time it was said to her, he was the first to say it and it even made her realize she had slept with him, gave him her virginity without hearing those words first. However, thinking about why he had gone over that edge before her, bested her in romantic feelings, why she was unable to say it first or even say it in response to his receding back, all of that would have to wait, because she had a battle to win.

"Stupid Shinji throwing me off my game…" She muttered with her cheeks still burning.

(SGE)

Shinji had never felt so proud of himself before in his life. And to think that just a few days ago he tried to kill himself, and later on the same day he lost his virginity no less.

He had said it. He actually told the girl he loves that he loved her. It was to her back as he was leaving and too afraid to wait for her response, but he had done it nonetheless. So happy with himself that it was actually easy to pass straight from his Unit 01's cage entrance and go forward to stop at Unit 00's cage entrance.

"Rei," he said with a smile upon seeing the back of his other female friend.

Rei turned and still with the same stoic expression answered him, "Shouldn't you be in your own Evangelion Unit's cage pilot Ik- Shinji?"

Shinji liked how Rei corrected herself when calling him, "I will, I just wanted to stop by, see how you were doing. Wish you luck, since I'm not gonna be fighting alongside you."

Expression still unchanged, Rei tilted her head a little, "You seem very happy about that. Are you glad you'll be taking a different opponent than the invisible Angel?"

Shinji grabbed his own chin and part of mouth. Of course he was still smiling like an idiot. "Erm, no I'm… happy about something else, actually."

Rei just stood there and Shinji was once again proud of himself for seeing that Rei was waiting for him to say more.

"You… remember that girlfriend I told you about?"

"The one you can't tell me about because you were asked to keep it in secrecy?"

Still smiling, Shinji gulped, "Y-yes, that's the one. A-anyway I… I told her I loved her."

Shinji almost said more than that, specifying how long ago he did it, and extending it to 'I've been intimate with her' but wisely shut up, les Rei discovers it was Asuka. Rei could narrow it down to her if she had enough information.

However, it seems Rei was more curious about something else and her next question really surprised him, "Shinji… What is 'love'?"

Shinji blinked, "Wh…" He had to shake his head slightly, "What?"

"What is 'love'?"

Shinji was actually speechless. Mouth hanging open.

"Shinji?"

He shook his head to stop staring, "W-well… Uh, Rei, um," He scratched the back of his head. "Love is… to think a lot about the person you care for. To feel like you don't feel with anybody else. Um, also…" he couldn't help but look down and smile slightly, a little heat going to his cheeks. "You also feel… warm… when you are with the person you love."

She was looking straight at him the whole time but when he was done with his explanation, Rei looked down slightly, blinked as if thinking hard about something and looked at him again, "Shinji, if that definition is true, then I think that I love you as well."

Now Shinji didn't just blinked or felt surprised. His blinking eyes widened like dinner plates and his cheeks burned as his mouth hung open. "Wh-what are you saying Ayan- Rei?! What do you mean you-" he had to look away from her, turn away completely, "What do you mean you love me?!"

"I just went by the definition you used. I too think about you a lot. You make me feel like no one else can, not even the commander. I sometimes feel warm when I'm with you."

Shinji was just standing there dumb founded and with his cheeks still burning for a while before finally finding his voice again, "I… I… I ap-preciate your f-feelings Ayanami- Rei but… Um, I… I'm doing well with m-m-my GIRLFRIEND and I don't want to… to…"

Rei tilted her head slightly again "Are you in distress, Shinji? Why are you stuttering and altering your tone like that?"

Shinji blinked, still looking distraught. _Did she really just ask me that?! How does she expect me to react to her confession?! She knows I have a girlfriend!_

"Pilot Ikari?"

Shinji shook his head at the downgrade his calling just suffered and finally managed to recollect his thoughts, "You can keep calling me Shinji, Rei. I don't mind that. What I mind is… Well I don't mind how you feel but I… I can't…" He waved both his hands as he wrecked his brain looking for the right words, "…reciprocate your feelings. I love my girlfriend…"

Rei blinked and Shinji braced himself for whatever it was coming now. _Did I break her heart?_ That question alone coursing Shinji's head was enough for him to feel a familiar constriction in his chest.

He realized however, that Rei appeared to be simply giving some more thought to what he said. Then she asked, "Does 'love' have to be romantic in nature?"

Now it was Shinji's turn to blink. He had to suppress a sigh of relief. "Oh. You meant," he chuckled slightly suddenly before continuing, "You meant that you love me like a big brother or something then? You don't want to be my…" Some heat returned to his cheeks as he couldn't finish the question with 'girlfriend'.

"I… don't think so."

Shinji blinked again at how she was still stoic and still as she said that. He sighed in relief again. "Well… alright then… Thank you Rei."

"…"

"I um… I appreciate you a lot too."

"…"

"I… I better go," Shinji couldn't get to his own Eva's cage entrance fast enough.

(SGE)

"Alright Shinji-kun, listen; I will talk to you again in one hour and fifteen minutes, when you reach Sapporo in Hokkaido," She gave her best smile to the com link to the departing Unit 01, "This is me wishing you luck, and telling you to stay calm because we're doing everything we can for Asuka. And for Rei."

She hated how adding the other pilot was just an afterthought because she knew Asuka mattered more to Shinji. The only male pilot sighed, "Roger that, Misato. I'll talk to you then."

She sighed when his face flashed out of existence. _Sonic, Silver and Shadow couldn't have chosen a worst time to disappear into thin air…_

That was the main thought coursing through Misato's mind as the final preparations were done and they were only seconds away of deploying the Evas. Not only 'disappeared into thin air with nobody even seeing where they went' was the only explanation the people of NERV other than Rei could offer as to what happened to the hedgehogs, the explanation Rei provided was just crazy.

 _How could she just declare with the same stoic posture of always that the hedgehogs were travelling through time and would disappear? Just before they did, no less…_

She looked at the screen that showed the Eva carrier taking the only Evangelion not present to the far north of Japan. Soon it would arrive in Sapporo, the main city of Hokkaido and she would have to coordinate Shinji's battle as well. She hoped the final words she said to the boy were enough to carry him in case she couldn't talk to him again because something happened in the battle against the Angel. An Angel that was invisible and, according to Robotnik, could manipulate space by existing out of it, as a mathematical impossibility.

 _Not only this weird ass Angel is likely to keep us too busy, I don't think that Shinji-kun's part will be any easier either…_

The thought of facing off against the 'Mobian Grim Reaper' hit her harder than usual and she usually sent children to battle.

She slapped her forehead with both palms, "Alright, Katsuragi, Focus," She stared at the screens with detectors and radars, all ready to try and fight the Angel everything could detect but nobody could see, "Evangelions Units 00 and 02, LAUNCH!"

Everything regarding the Evas being deployed went into motion when she gave the order. Seconds later, the light blue and red Giants were in the Angel's zone.

(SGE)

Rei never thought flanking something that she couldn't see would be this difficult and unusual.

Her deployment as well as the departure of Evangelion Unit 01 in one of NERV's Eva Carrier went smoothly and without any issues. By now Shinji was probably almost in Hokkaido but it was the memory of him and her interaction with him that was making this difficult. She never thought she'd ever lack focus. The unusual part about it was that, even though the hastily installed radar in her Evangelion was beeping, indicating her target was just ahead of her in the clearing she'd have ample shot of, it was still very odd to her approach something that apparently wasn't there.

Never the less, of course she complied as best she could, placing the positron rifle in front of her and positioning it to the clearing in front of her, were the radars and communications from HQ determined the Angel was at. After placing it she checked her scope. Her aim could really sweep the entire field ahead of her, apparently where the Angel was at. The field was part of the city so it had building and even a few parked cars of course but it still seemed like a field with how far she was.

"Command, please confirm; I am to snipe the invisible Angel as Unit 02 approaches it to help detection. Correct?"

Major Katsuragi's face flashed into existence in a screen inside her entry plug. "That is correct Rei. Since only radars and scanners can see this thing, nothing but you and Asuka's revealing prowess will pull this off. And again: Proceed with extreme caution, not only is the Angel invisible, according to Doctor Robotnik it cn manipulate space. Good luck." She was alone in her plug again.

Though the shell wouldn't have the power of the electricity of all of Japan this time, the advances made with this Positron sniper rifle would still be a powerful kick. She restrained the usual trepidation before a battle as usual, but again, something about that was difficult and unusual.

 _If I die, I can be replaced. Why do I feel like this, this time?"_

She saw Shinji in her head.

 _Him? Why would it matter now? How I feel about him doesn't change the fact I can be replaced…_

…

 _I mustn't concern myself with this now, in the middle of a battle…_

She straightened her Eva's head in the scope and became extra focused in the buildings ahead of her.

Asuka's voice suddenly came over the com unit this time, a grinning angry face flashing in a screen of Unit 00's entry plug, "Alright first, you ready for this? I hope you are 'cause my radars indicate I'm very close to the target."

Rei clicked a few buttons of her plug's manatee and a small map like display flashed before her. Looking at the area map, indeed Unit 02 appeared to be very close to the target. Judging by the position of the bleep that was the unseen Angel and the position of the protected buildings around the bleep, Rei made a quick calculation in her head and it clicked where the Angel was in relation to her fellow Eva.

"Two buildings to your right, then straight ahead pilot Sohryu. You will need to use the power cable from the next power station, judging from how much your power cord already stretched."

Asuka blinked, looking at Rei surprised, "What…" She then frowned, "I could have figured out where it was by myself! Don't you instruct me Wonder Girl!"

Despite her confrontational reply, Asuka did as Rei instructed, moving the red behemoth along two buildings to its right, stopping to exchange her power cord, dropping the one she was using from her back and plugging the one from the power station she passed by. Still silent she glared at the direction ahead of her, even though there was nothing to glare, the Angel was still invisible.

Then she dashed.

"UUHWAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"

As she roared and ran at the same time she drew her prog knife. It skimmed the air of the region indicating the Angel was at, gliding in blind yet gracious and deadly movements.

"HAAH! HAH! AAAH! HYA!" Truly, if an invisible giant sphere really was there, Asuka would have hit it and slashed it. Long enough were her swipes, flanking the whole area, skillful was her use of the prog knife.

That made it all the more strange when nothing seemed to happen. "Command, the Angel is yet to reveal itself, even with Unit 02 having probably hit it if it really was there. Was the target really there? Should I take a shot?"

Before Misato could answer or Asuka could ask or say something else, a huge spherical very dark shadow appeared below Asuka.

Rei blinked and that little time, the time it took for her to process surprise at what suddenly happened was the time for Asuka to start sinking into the giant round shadow. Everything now happened all at once, Rei noticed the shadow wasn't just swallowing Asuka, it was also swallowing the buildings surrounding her, sh noticed the shadow was darker and more black than a normal shadow and she took a sniper shot at the near center of the shadow.

Some sort of yellowish green goo came out of the shadow. Unit 02 slashed the shadow with the prog knife as Asuka screamed and roared, exerting herself to hit and 'cut' the shadow. More yellowish green goo came and in the five seconds it took for Rei to reload and fire another shell, Asuka slashed more at the shadow. Another few seconds, another sniper shot fired, a few more slashes from Asuka and, still, all that accomplished was a few more splashes of a little goo, splattering briefly and then disappearing.

Before anyone knew anything, before an actual efficient measure was taken (Rei heard Major Katsuragi commenting something about ejecting the plug, to which there was no response), before anyone in command said anything to Rei directly, Evangelion Unit 02 had been completely swallowed by the shadow, along with every building that the shadow also enveloped in its circumference.

Among her screaming, Asuka's voice was finally made out, "No… No no no NO! Not now! NO! PLEASE! I am needed! I AM LOVED! PLEASE! It can't end like this!"

For a second, as she was hearing the Second Child's yell as she was completely hidden from view, her desperate and fearful voice still audible from the com link even after her Eva disappeared, Rei wondered if Asuka was the one responsible for Shinji being so happy, if she was the one he loved, seeing as how she was saying that she was loved.

For some reason she felt her chest constricting in pain when she thought of how badly this would affect Shinji if that was the case because unlike her, Asuka could not be replaced.

(SGE)

"Are you sure about this Misato?"

"I am Shinji-kun. You are to stand by. I'm sorry about this, making you sit around in your entry plug for so many hours. I can't even imagine how boring that is but-"

"It's okay Misato-san," in a rare display of courage, Shinji interrupted her, "Orders are orders. I'll wait. And if the enemy moves, so will I."

Misato sighed, "Good, Shinji-kun."

"How's Asuka?"

Misato gulped and put her best fake smile again. "She… is… I'll update you when we have new info on this Angel." She almost told him what happened but didn't. And for more reasons than that, Misato felt rotten inside after Shinji's face blinked out of existence.

The UN siege forces were all deployed and positioned successfully after the 'Shadow Angel' stopped expanding after reaching a diameter of 600 meters. It swallowed the whole city of that area, including Unit 02 and Asuka. Of course she had to order Rei to fall back. Of course the power cable was pulled back from the Shadow disconnected. Of course her recon flight in NERV helicopters didn't tell her anything new. Of course she was observing the Shadow from a distance in a roof top of a building that was made into a military observation deck feeling completely helpless.

 _Shinji will never forgive me if something happens to her. Hell he might not forgive me for not telling him what happened to her right away. But he's probably about to face another enemy himself, I can't distract him with thoughts of "your girlfriend might be dead"._

…

 _Goddamn it…_

Those dark thoughts appeared in her head for the first time as she was telling Shinji what happened a few hours ago, about one hour after Unit 02 was swallowed. They returned to her head now as suddenly as the usually stoic girl walked up to her from the same observation deck, "Major Katsuragi."

With her arms still crossed and with the same scowl she was making at the Shadow, Misato looked at her.

"I realize that if Pilot Sohryu doesn't move around and stays in life support mode, she should be able to sustain herself for sixteen hours, but it's already been eleven hours. Aren't we going to do anything?"

Misato sighed, "We will Rei. As soon as I have an update from Rits- from the science division, I'll see if I can come up with something."

Rei nodded slightly and turned away. Never before Misato hoped so hard she wasn't lying. Still waiting for Ritsuko and Robotnik to call her in, another useless thought crossed her mind.

 _I need a beer…_

(SGE)

Robotnik coughed and put both hands behind his back as he finished his explanation. He couldn't help the grin off his face as he just explained all the mathematical impossibilities in the board. Though everybody in the audience was looking at him cross-eyed and confused for some reason.

Ritsuko sighed, "What Doctor Robotnik here meant to explain is that, the main part of the Angel is not the stripe sphere that is visible only to beings embedded with Chaos Energy. The Angel is actually the round shadow, currently at 680 meters of diameter and 3 nanometers thick."

Robotnik was still smiling, "And it sustains that form in a super thin space with an inverted AT field, and inside is the form I suspected it was; an imaginary space called a 'Dirac Ocean', that has unlimited space inside."

Misato narrowed her eyes at him. _Just what the hell are your 'sources', Eggman?_

She stopped herself upon calling the doctor the nickname Sonic used for him the first time, even if it was in her head, and refocused on the explanation, "What's the invisible sphere that the hedgehogs could see above it then?"

Robotnik straightened his glasses, "The inversion of the main body indicates a mathematical equation that requires at least five dimensions to be solved, so it is-"

"That's the Angel's shadow," Misato was thankful Ritsuko interrupted the next long winded speech of the doctor. "It should disappear if the main body is destroyed."

Misato narrowed her eyes at the shadow in the distant ground, and the supposed invisible sphere above it, "Asuka…"

(SGE)

Ritsuko hated herself right now, just like she did when she would still let Gendo defile her. She couldn't believe what she just explained to Misato, and how natural it all came out. Wasn't the point of her change to not dirty herself anymore? Wasn't everything with Maya just wonderful? And why was Misato not taking this any harder?

 _I guess it's easier for her, considering she is yet to realize what this plan implies…_

"Compulsory salvaging of Unit 02?" Misato asked once Ritsuko was done explaining.

Ritsuko still sounded and looked dejected, "Yes… We drop all existing 992 N2 bombs on the center of the Angel. Ayanami's AT field should be able to restrain the blast from seeping outside of the imaginary space, putting all the firepower on the Angel. Should destroy it and its Dirac Ocean."

Misato blinked, "But… but the Evangelion won't- What will happen to Asuka?"

Robotnik straightened his glasses, "We call the Dirac Ocean an imaginary space because it is technically an unlimited amount of space, Major. We don't know where, inside of it, Unit 02 is exactly. Nor can we be sure if it will really harm the lovely Sohryu as well."

Misato snapped at him, "You call that a 'rescue operation'?! 'She might not get hit' is your entire spiel?!"

Ritsuko spoke again, "Recovering the Eva is priority, Major. Even if it is severely damaged it'll be fine."

"What about Asuka?!"

Ritsuko just looked the other way when Misato looked at her again, "…"

"Ritsuko…" she still sounded stern.

"In… in this… sort of situation… the pilot's life… is not taken into account."

SLAP!

Of course the next thing that happened was Misato's hand flying to her cheek. Robotnik stifled a whimper and took a step back with wide eyes behind the dark round glasses as Ritsuko went to the ground.

 _I deserve this. Of course I do. Maybe Sonic was wrong._

The painful thought that lasted the longest three seconds of her life, the same time she was fallen to the ground, was even more substantiated by what she did next.

"Major Katsuragi," she said calmly as she stood back up, "I am relieving you of your command."

(SGE)

Misato almost asked 'What is an Eva?' along with things like why was it so important, but she could tell Ritsuko was feeling really bad about this. Her new found attitude, her new look with the glasses, spiky hair and loose clothes; everything about her tumbled down with Misato's palm as she fell to the ground. She was in a crappy place and this was a crappy situation. The crappiest of them all.

 _Second Impact. The Instrumentality Project. Adam. So many secrets I still don't know…_

Keeping the military attitude after being released of duty helped her in nothing in the subsequent two hours, the last two hours of Asuka's life support, the two hours where everything was set up and prepared to carry out the operation that would kill the Angel and most likely her ward too. The flights of the bombers were staged from the Kanku province. They were just about ready to bomb the enormous shadow, Unit 00 had just said what her status was and Maya, Hyuuga and Shigeru announced their squadrons of bomb droppers were in position.

But then something happened.

(SGE)

The first hour was the worst; she had to make a herculean effort to slow her yelling, followed by her breathing, coming in ragged swallows, swallows so grand that she figured she would have fainted if not for the regularization of oxygen provided by the LCL. Hyperventilating was not her thing but it happened anyway. But eventually she did calm down.

And then the second hour was actually the worst; She didn't need to calm her body and her mind anymore and so the finality of her situation downed on her harder and stronger than anything ever before. Not even finding her mother's corpse compared to 'I have been eaten by an Angel and it will kill me in the time of twelve hours'. Yes, of course she checked to see if she was really stuck in her entry plug. She had to hold back her vomit and probably needed the LCL biological regulation function for that.

"I don't wanna die…" of course her whisper was met with silence.

But then it was the subsequent ten hours that were actually worse; the calmness and the stillness did nothing but remind her of the impending doom. Breaking the silence every hour or so whispering the same mantra…

"I don't wanna die…"

…also helped in absolutely nothing. As she just lay there, hugging her knees to her chest, feeling the dread consume her. The anxiety just kept increasing her trepidation as the hours passed…

"I don't wanna die…"

…And eventually the final hour came. The smell of LCL became strikingly similar to the smell of blood, she could no longer ignore the impurities floating around her in the foul liquid sustaining her and she could no longer breathe as if she was out of water as she had been, like she was trained to. The sensation of drowning in dirty blood like liquid was the last straw on her sanity.

"I don't wanna die…" her hourly whispering came stronger, louder and repeated as the final minute of the final hour approached.

"I don't wanna die… I don't wanna die. I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die," Stronger and louder until she was yelling.

"I don't wanna die! I don't wanna die!"

 _I don't wanna die!_

"I DON'T WANNA DIE!"

 _I DON'T WANNA DIE!_

 _I DON'T WANNA DIE!_

 _I DON'T WANNA DIE!_

…

… _?_

 _What…?_

 _What the…?_

 _Wha- What just happened?_

 _What has happened to me?_

…

 _I… I no longer have a body?_

…

 _Am I dead?_

 _No… I'd be with maggots in my face then. And alone._

 _And… I'm not alone… You're here with me._

 _Who are you?_

" _Asuka? Asuka, Is… Is that you?"_

… _How… How do you know my name? What are you?_

" _Asuka… Asuka what are you doing here?! It's dangerous here! I can protect you only when you're outside!"_

… _M… Momma? Momma is that you?!_

" _Asuka, you need to leave! Get out of here or you won't be able to go back!"_

 _Momma! Momma you're here! You're looking at me!_

" _Asuka please! I love you, I want you safe! Please go!"_

 _You love me! You're looking at me!_

" _I do! I am! But you need to go! If I wake up while you are here-"_

 _I'm never leaving you again momma!_

(SGE)

Ritsuko honestly couldn't tell what she was feeling right now. The bombs were about to be dropped and she was about to become a child murderer, as if she wasn't something worse than that already, but it was stopped her from becoming a child killer that really put a seed of confusion in her head.

 _Perhaps it would have been better to drop all the bombs instead of allowing Unit 02 to end like this…_

Several seconds after the ground and the shadow in it cracked open, the gargantuan beast like four eyed humanoid was still roaring, still roaming and still getting rid of several pieces of its armor. Armor that was not only for protection but also for restriction. Evangelion Unit 02 was losing its restrictive properties, getting rid of its restraints and Ritsuko thought it was probably going to awaken and that would be very difficult to restrain.

But it was what Maya said next that really crushed any hope she had of being wrong, of thinking that Unit 02 wasn't really losing control and was completely free of its restraints, "Thi- this is impossible! The- the synchronization rate of Asuka and Unit 02 has reached 400%!"

Echoing the death of the Angel, in all the fuzz that came about as everything happened at the same time, Ritsuko noticed the hedgehogs were also back. At least Sonic was back.

On the other side of the huge catwalk, siding the entire battle area, almost shadowing the Angel, Sonic was vividly telling something to Misato and all other techs in the Area. A strange thought popped in Ritsuko's head then.

 _Why is a Section 02 agent approaching him from behind?_

As that little spectacle actually managed to get her attention more than Unit 02's true form ravaging around and roaring, she focused more on it and eventually she heard Sonic's voice in the distance.

"I'm saying YOU HAVE ALL BEEN LIED TO! This ENTIRE war is based on a bunch of old men that WANT the world to FRIGGIN' END! INCLUDING your commander! AUGH," that last part came when the Section 02 agent behind him used something, most likely on him.

Even in the distance she could tell Sonic meant what he was saying, even without looking directly at Misato, she knew the Major had been shaken by what Sonic said.

Why was Sonic saying that? Where had he and the other hedgehogs been the last several hours and why had they returned, apparently having come across some new information? Would they be able to stop Evangelion Unit 02?

Of all the questions Ritsuko now had, only that last one could have something done about it, so she turned to her favorite lieutenant.

"Maya," She turned back to Ritsuko, apparently also surprised at what Sonic showed up saying, "Get the city restraint defenses online. We need to reel Unit 02 in."

(SGE)

 **OMAKE: Does anyone reading this even recognize this reference?**

Shinji almost said more than that, specifying how long ago he did it, and extending it to 'I've been intimate with her' but wisely shut up, les Rei discovers it was Asuka. Rei could narrow it down to her if she had enough information.

However, it seems Rei was more curious about something else and her next question really surprised him, "Shinji… What is 'love'?"

Shinji blinked, "Wh…" He had to shake his head slightly, "What?" Shinji was actually speechless. Mouth hanging open.

"What is 'love'?"

Shinji blinked again, wondering why she repeat the question with extra emphasis.

" _Baby don't hurt me… don't hurt me… No more!"_

"Um," Shinji said dumbfounded as a techno beat came out of nowhere, accompanying Rei's singing.

Yes, Rei was singing, " _What is 'love'? Baby don't hurt me… don't hurt me… No more!"_

The beat went on and Rei started dancing, one hand going from her waist to pointing at the ceiling. Matching her words.

" _What is 'love'? Baby don't hurt me… don't hurt me… No more!_

 _What is 'love'? Baby don't hurt me… don't hurt me… No more"_

The Techno beat went on for a while, with Rei still dancing, until eventually Rei spoke again.

" _Yeah! Oh, I don't know why you're not there_

 _I give you my love but you don't care_

 _So what is right and what is wrong?_

 _Gimme a sign!"_

"Um," Shinji timidly said between the techno beating that went on as Rei danced to the end of the first song verse, "I'm gonna go back to my Eva's cage entrance now Rei…" then he walked away fast as Rei continued singing.

" _What is 'love'? Baby don't hurt me… don't hurt me… No more!_

 _What is 'love'? Baby don't hurt me… don't hurt me… No more"_


	6. Evangelion Generations

Disclaimer: Evangelion belongs to Gainax, Sonic belongs to Sega.

Thoughts of gratitude: Big thank you goes to GamerJay for beta reading.

 **Chapter 6:** _ **Evangelion Generations**_

Sonic licked his lips as the smell of the industrialized chilidog filled his nostrils. Opening the bag that came out of the vending machine he activated as he waited for the go signal for him to join the Evangelions in the cages, he took a fine long whiff of the white warm smoke that departed the fast food, inhaling all the goodness he appreciated so much.

"Hmmm, I love the smell of Chilidogs before a battle…"

But just before he could take the first bite, time itself shook. It was a very peculiar thing that Sonic had experienced only one time before. And when he did he didn't know it was time itself shaking. He had to have Tails tell him he and his friends were travelling through time and space. Along with his past self and Tails' past self. Immediately, every instinct he had went into overdrive and he still had to turn around to see it.

"Oh come ON! I was just about to eat!"

That was all he managed to yell out before the giant black creature pierced the veil of time itself, revealing a humongous form that resembled Evangelion Unit 01, shadows and temporal deformities all around it. In a dark purplish and nightmarish form all around it. Other techs, anyone else in the area seemed completely oblivious to the dark giant ripping time apart. It was that absurdity; nobody else seemed able to perceive the nightmarish giant monster, that made Sonic realize another difference between now and the last time he fought a monster capable of messing with time.

This one wasn't revealing itself in some sort of grand fashion, sucking him and his friends into small separate voids. It was going straight to its target, straight to time. If Sonic could even call it that.

He sighed, "At least I won't be sucked into an ugly black hole and wake up in a white world…"

He closed his eyes and felt time stopping. Moving his own body in a way only he could, he recovered his consciousness as the consciousness of everything else left him.

"See, this time I'm ready for it. This time I've done this before. This time I can stay awake. Juice and loose as a whole."

He said to no one in particular with eyes still closed, still focusing as he vibrated his body, making the fibers of his being separate from the part of reality that was being swallowed, that being time itself. When he opened his eyes again…

"Well, of course."

…he was in the same white stilted world he was when Robotnik used the Time Eater. But most annoying of it all: His chilidog was gone.

(SGE)

Shadow couldn't believe it.

 _It caught me off guard… The stupid black Evangelion looking giant monster actually caught me off guard…_

That was the one thought, coursing through his head like hot magma as his consciousness and the feeling of time passage returned to him, along with his color and his general awareness.

 _This wasn't like that time with the Time Eater, when it had me placed back in the past, back when the faker and I first fought. This time it… whatever it was just swallowed me whole. Along with time itself… It was more efficient than the Time Eater, whatever it was…_

Knowing only one hedgehog could have saved him, and as if thinking about the last time he was in such a situation conjured him, when Shadow opened his eyes again he saw the emerald green eyes that haunted him for so long, belonging to the blue hedgehog that could actually rival him.

"Sonic," he would never owe anything to anybody. Ever. So he swallowed his pride real quick with a nod, "Thank you."

"Don't mention it!" Sonic's grin was as quick as Shadow's nod, "What the heck happened? I thought that thing would make us fight, like the Time Eater made me fight you, Silver and Metal." He narrowed his eyes inquiringly at Shadow, "You… saw it too, didn't you? Black and big?"

Shadow nodded, "And it looked like an Evangelion Unit. Also, unlike the Time Eater, it seemed… Angelic in nature…"

Sonic crossed his arms, "How so?"

"Didn't you notice how it wasn't… theatrical at all?" Shadow narrowed his eyes as if remembering the past, "The Time Eater was theatrical. Trashed your birthday party. Wanted you to see what it could do. This thing just now…" Shadow felt actual worry crease his brow. "It swallowed everything… just like that. It also resembled an Evangelion."

As he spoke, he straightened his curved upwards quills and took in the white environment around him. He noticed the area just around him, more specifically the launch area for Unit 01's cage, had its color restored. To the NERV base.

"This is the area you restored to rescue me?"

Sonic nodded, "It seems the whole area is NERV HQ. Each area we save will restore a piece of HQ. You were saying about this thing?"

"Ah, yes. It wasted no time with anything at all. Just consumed time with no hesitation or remorse," Now the worry that creased his brow also made him narrow his eyes, "This thing was part of the Angel."

Sonic narrowed his eyes too, "Yeah that makes sense…"

Shadow looked at him, blinked once real quick.

Sonic shrugged, "It went downwards, towards Central Dogma. You see the white area it tainted, it involves mostly the way down… What's way down here in headquarters that the Angels want so much anyway?"

Shadow grunted. _Right. Nobody told him._

(SGE)

Sonic didn't even know _how_ to feel about what Shadow was telling him, knowing that there was a dormant Angel, being kept alive in NERV HQ, way down in Terminal Dogma or whatever it was the name Shadow said. But it did make him slightly more upset, especially in regards to the highest ranking officer of NERV.

"Okay, I officially hate Blackbeard more than Robotnik…"

Shadow appeared surprise, in his own subtle emotionless way, at that response.

Sonic shrugged, "The thing I saw, the sliver of past I restored to save you." Sonic scratched his nose and narrowed his eyes, "I saw Shinji's first fight, how he got into Tokyo 03 and all that."

Now Shadow showed no response, "And?

"His father is a jerk! He called him out of nowhere and told him to get inside the robot. And then totally used Rei to make Shinji pilot when he refused."

Shadow narrowed his eyes to the side.

Sonic pounded his own fist, "Let's clear the next area."

"Is that Silver?"

Sonic blinked at Shadow's sudden question but then felt pumping energy course him when he looked the same direction Shadow was looking. That energy blossomed into a wide grin, "What else a silvery dot in the distance would be in this white timeless world Shadow?"

(SGE)

Silver was never off guard. Whether it was a reflex from his apocalyptic past, coming from a destroyed and broken future tormented by the personification of crisis or his experience in battle and time travel and several other types of other worldly affairs, stuff most people don't even dream of, he was always ready. Always on the go. Perhaps it was one of those factors or a combination of them all that made him keep his cool even as time itself broke around him, as he was waiting for the go signal for him to join the Evangelions in the cages and go fight the sphere Angel only he and the other hedgehogs could see.

He didn't know why it was breaking down around him. He just knew that was what was happening. He felt something giant nearby. Something going downwards inside the base. Maybe it was the same thing that was making time stop? Silver didn't have time to ponder on that. Instead, he focused on the grey Chaos Emerald in his pouch, closing his eyes.

 _Move…_

Instead of his usual commands of 'travel through', whether to the past or o the future, he used some precious chaotic energy to shield him from the time breaking to a stop all around him: When he opened his eyes again. Everything was white. He wasn't sure how much time passed. Especially since there was no time here anymore. But when he looked left, to the distance, there was one area that wasn't white and his fellow hedgehogs approaching.

"Yo Silver whassup?!"

Silver couldn't help the small smile and nod in the direction of the blue hedgehog with a scarf and a backpack, "Sonic."

Shadow, also wearing a pouch, bigger than his own, nodded back at him, "You think part of the Angel did this as well."

Silver blinked at how that wasn't a question, "I don't know. I didn't see it. But I do think it went straight down, towards Terminal Dogma." He looked at Sonic.

Sonic nodded, "I know about Adam, Shadow told me."

Silver scratched his chin "I'm willing to bet what did this was the… 'time' counterpart of the… 'space' Angel outside."

Sonic sighed, "I guess, like in the last time, we'd better run like there's no tomorrow, or there won't be a tomorrow…"

And then the hedgehogs turned to the same direction, as if moving towards the same goal, the same objective, as if what had to be done was dead set in their minds, exactly like Silver's. Silver just took to the same direction as the hedgehogs advanced. Sure enough, a little further ahead was an area that seemed able to be cleared as a zone, restoring another part of time.

As if the ominousness of the situation became too heavy, Sonic smiled and declared, "Well, this is it." He scratched his nose, "You guys ready for this?" Despite the apocalyptic setting before them, Sonic still managed to smile.

"…Doesn't matter if we're ready or not. We don't have a choice…" said Silver.

Shadow simply grunted.

The black and blue hedgehogs ran towards the unknown, towards the other clearable area, as the silver one stayed behind, focusing again on his Chaos Emerald, "Let's see if I can do with you what they can do by running."

(SGE)

After running the strange space that seemed to go on a loop of the same snippet of NERV HQ, Sonic was almost bored. He enjoyed running, seeing the color return just behind his feet but it would have been more interesting to face enemies, even if they were old enemies or even enemies he had defeated before. The one constant he observed was that sometimes he saw Misato giving orders and doing paper work. There was even one interesting scene where she was spinning in her chair. That made Sonic smile but eventually he came full circle on that area, coming back to the starting point that was already colored again.

In a glistening display of awesomeness that made him grin, color returned to that particular snippet of HQ in a cascade of light that enveloped part of the whiteness, giving back the color and the flow of time to that area. He didn't know what Shadow and Silver saw, just that it was probably something slightly different, like his past self saw while they did the same thing.

But more importantly than all that, back in the present, he noticed the same someone of before on the center of the Area he just restored. "Ah, good! Misato! I managed to start time for you again, listen-"

He cut himself off when Misato just ignored him and went on about her business, she seemed to be taking care of things just before a mission, an Angel battle.

He blinked, "Misato?"

She still ignored him. He noticed the world around him, outside of the area he just restored. It was all still white, all still detached from the stand still they were at now.

He scratched his head, "You… can't see me even though I restored you?"

"She can't exist outside of time like us mobians can. And could in the Time Eater incident."

Sonic turned to the source of the voice to see Shadow.

"Probably because of some Chaos Energy related reason," concluded Shadow.

"You mean they will just move about without even noticing something is wrong?"

Shadow narrowed his eyes and nodded, "They will never even know this current Angel has a time altering counterpart… or that anyone else is doing something else… We're on our own."

Sonic scratched his chin worriedly and then smiled again, "Well it's not like we haven't beaten very powerful bad guys on our own before!"

Shadow confused him by suddenly blushing, "What did you… what did you see?"

Sonic blinked, Shadow blushing being something _that_ alien to him "Um, Shadow?"

"What did you see?"

"I saw… the present mostly. Just Misato working actually, as I ran around the base, restoring time. Why?"

"I saw her past…"

Sonic blinked, "You're embarrassed about it?"

Still blushing, Shadow scratched the back of his head, "She was the… wild party girl during her collage days…"

Sonic blinked again but then the engines in his head turned and he blushed as well, "I guess the less I know about that, the better…"

"I know of her future…"

Silver had arrived suddenly, his declaration prompting a head turn to stare from the two other hedgehogs.

"She gets so lonely she comes on to Shinji, and then she dies to protect him…"

Sonic's jaw hung as Shadow widened his scowling eyes, "Say… say what?" Sonic found his voice again after a while.

"I think Shadow sees the past, while you see the present, Sonic. And I… I see the future without us…"

Sonic crossed his arms and Shadow narrowed his eyes at him, implying they wanted, no, _needed_ to hear more.

"I don't know what happens, but it's terrible. Misato… tries to be with Shinji because someone died and they were both really sad. Then she fails to give him comfort when someone else dies, Kaworu was the name Shinji said, and then she gets shot saving Shinji from something, people in black were attacking HQ and… that was it… that's her… that's the end of her story. And all that happens, that 's what would… will happen without our influence…"

"Sonic."

Shadow got his attention back by softly calling him. He was pointing at an Area that had Asuka. Though the whiteness and the timelessness of the area made it difficult at first, Sonic recognized it as the Cage for Evangelion Unit 02. It was also the next zone to clear.

Sonic nodded, "We gotta keep seeing what happens. Let's do this."

(SGE)

Much like what it was with Misato, once he entered the zone, Shadow found himself in a totally different environment. This seemed like a NERV HQ but it was totally different from the HQ he knew.

"Is that German?" he asked no one in particular as he passed by signs that were in a language that wasn't Japanese or English.

When enough of the time fabric was restored he heard a voice. A voice he recognized, but something was different, the voice had a higher pitch than usual, as if the owner was younger, still a child.

"Is that you, Asuka?" he turned to the direction of the voice as he once again asked no one in particular.

As he got closer and closer to the voice's source, swaying her feet as he skated on top of his speed, restoring the flow of time as he went, Shadow noticed the voice got closer, but somehow went away as he went.

"It seems I can only find it by the end of the zone it seems."

Upon reaching that conclusion he stopped being distracted by the voice that presumably was Asuka's and focused solely on restoring the area around him. However the eerie distant sound of a little girl screaming for her mother was getting louder and louder, hence harder and harder to ignore. That combined with the whiteness of the lack of time being almost completely turned back into the blackness of the darkness tainting this German NERV HQ like structure.

 _If I consider this is Asuka's past, it makes sense the girl screaming is her. But why is she screaming? What am I about to see?_

"Momma! Momma! I was chosen! I was chosen among millions of people! I was chosen! I'm special!" There was a sound of a door being opened and Shadow finally found the tiny form of Asuka, maybe she was seven years old, "So please look at me!"

It was then that he finally finished the zone and saw what he was just wondering he'd see. And now that he did, how he wished he hadn't. Oh god how he wished he hadn't. Only when Maria was shot in front of him did he feel something akin to this disgust. No child should ever have to see that. See what Asuka just saw.

(SGE)

Silver was confused again. It was bad enough seeing Asuka defeated by those nine white… whatever they were and then reappear on the white beach with red water alongside Shinji as if nothing had happened. But THIS. This was just plain crazy.

 _Okay, so I can accept Rei is a clone, there is a tank full of spare bodies for her. I can even see some reason as to why Ritsuko would destroy her… She was blonde again for some reason and broken inside…_

 _What I can't comprehend is how she will… 'merge' with Adam like how Gendo told her to, and why? Why does that weird… 'ceremony' happens and where did Rei ascend to, what did she do after the merge?_

He stopped pondering when the usual flash of the area being restored and time being resumed to its normal flow and immediately after saw Sonic talking to Rei.

 _Wait, talking to Rei? Asuka and Misato were unable to perceive us, not even after we restored the flow of time. Is Rei…?_

"Sonic the Hedgehog, what is going on?"

Silver actually stopped. As did Sonic and turned to face her as he blinked and finally smiled at her, "Wow, Rei, you can see me? Did you realize when time stopped?"

The stoic girl seemed and sounded strange when confused, "I… believe I did. What happened?"

Sonic seemed hyped in telling her what happened, "Half of the angel is a space manipulator while its other half is a time manipulator, much like another monster I fought before back in Mobius," his smile broadened, "With the help of my past self. So don't worry, I can fix-"

But then the area they were just in went back to the same state of fluidity only on the restored area and the white sterility ruled anything out of it. Shadow walked in just as Silver did.

Sonic was still confused at Rei suddenly disappearing but acknowledged them nonetheless, "Hey guys. I saw Rei slapping Shinji for dishing his father, I saw some other stuff from before we got here, she was badly hurt and all and… some other weird stuff I didn't get."

"You can say that again," Silver cut in feeling his face twisted in weirdness. "I saw a bunch of stuff I don't understand, some sort of weird ceremony with a… black moon? And Rei then…"

"Becomes Adam?"

Silver blinked, looking at Shadow, "How'd you know?"

"Because that thing down there is not Adam. That's something else. And Rei is… its clone…"

Now Silver was not the only one fully focused on Shadow, as was Sonic.

"I saw where she was made."

"I actually saw that too!" Silver slapped a fist in his hand, "A big tank full of Reis right?"

Shadow nodded, "I also saw the first Rei being killed… by Ritsuko's mother. She killed herself after killing Rei… and, much like Asuka…"

"Ritsuko found her?" Sonic sounded as horrified as he looked, digesting everything his fellow hedgehogs said.

Shadow nodded.

Sonic pounded his palm with his fist, "No wonder Blackbeard was using her and she felt like she deserved it all! That's what she meant when she said she was soiled!" He looked at Shadow again, "Does that also explain why Rei noticed when time stopped?"

"Probably," Silver spoke this time, "If she wasn't human well-"

"Don't dish Rei dude. Every single one of those kids has been through a lot." Sonic pointed a finger at Silver as he cut him off.

Shadow grunted, "Let's just go to the next zone shall we. Something tells me we're seeing Shinji next."

(SGE)

"Damn… Shadow, that… that was…"

"That was fucked up, Sonic. I know."

Sonic didn't even mind his fellow hedgehog dropping the F bomb. That was something that described perfectly what they just saw.

 _He destroyed the world, he actually destroyed the world; his reality was so bad, his self esteem so low and hit head so broken that… no wonder he would even try to off himself…_

As calmly as the situation allowed him, Silver started speaking, "So Rei is a clone of whatever it is down in Terminal Dogma, she is used in conjunction with that embryo thing Commander Ikari has to start Third Impact, and God like power is granted to Shin- to the pilot of Unit 01 instead of Gendo…" He looked at his fellow hedgehogs, "But why?"

Shadow shook his head, "I don't know. We've seen only snippets of past and future. Maybe it's something related to how the Evas were made."

Sonic frowned "Why would anyone even _try_ to destroy the world? It's a very annoying question," Then he gulped, shaking his head, "I'm…" Now he paused and scratched his forehead, "I'm not sure if I wanna keep unfreezing these zones… keep seeing the events of this universe…" He hugged himself, "I mean the whole thing at the hospital…"

Shadow looked at him, "You mean with Asuka in a coma and Shinji-"

Sonic waved his hand in a stop motion to cut him off and was quick to change the subject, "Here's what I don't get: We would totally try to stop all that! Help Shinji before he breaks down! Knock out all those soldiers invading NERV! Stop the Bastard King from starting Third Impact! How come these time windows are showing a future without us?!"

Shadow nodded, "That's a good question. Another good one would be: Why did we all see the same event this time around, seeing as up until now we were seeing separate snippets of time, I was seeing past, Sonic the present and Silver the future."

Silver nodded, only now recovering from the last unfrozen time frame, "Maybe we're seeing the future as of yet."

Sonic blinked then half closed his eyes at Silver, "You know Silver, one of these days I'm gonna have to try extra harder to understand the stuff that comes outta your mouth…"

Silver sighed, "We're seeing the future as it will happen from the _current_ present. And the current present doesn't have us in it because we're currently stuck in the time frozen dimension made by the Angel. I'm not saying something happens to us and we are unable to be in the current present, but we're not in it as of yet, so…"

"The future is a rotten bleakness where a teenager ends the world because his life is so bad," Shadow finished Silver's explanation ominously. "That still doesn't answer why we all saw the same end of Evangelion just now…"

Sonic scratched his head, "That just now sounded like a very awful ending movie to a very good anime series… Let's forget about that and focus on returning time to normal flow. Return to the _current_ time. Stop those horrible things from happening." He stretched his legs, "Let's keep running, keep time restoring."

But before the hedgehog could continue on their way…

"ROOOOOOAAAAAARRRRRR!"

…a loud roar of pain and destruction filled the air in the most frightening way possible. It wasn't just loud, it was a cutting the air itself scream, it wasn't just soul chilling in its contained fright and horror, it was filled to the brim with the darkness of the most foulest of events, as if complimenting the horrible imagery the hedgehogs had witnessed in Shinji's future.

"What the heck?" Sonic asked weakly, as he too looked in the direction the roar had come from.

And as all three hedgehogs looked on, the dark form of the black Evangelion that had swallowed all three of them and placed them in this white sterile and timeless world came tumbling down, disintegrating as he fell. By the time the giant for reached the ground, he had deteriorated so much it just crumbled to black dust in the white ground, granting a grayish tone to the ground directly in front of the hedgehogs.

Upon noticing in the gray, in the white ground covered in black ash, there were three sparkling dots, one of each different color; teal, blue and yellow. "Chaos Emeralds?!" Sonic had to ask again, "Seriously, what the heck?!" He pointed at the sparkling dots and looked at his fellow hedgehogs.

"Um… The 'space' part of the Angel was defeated?" Silver hesitated, seeming even more confused than Sonic.

Shadow's scowl showed confusion as well but he nodded, "Maybe we didn't have to beat the 'time' counterpart of this Angel in order to kill it."

Sonic looked pensive for a second and went to the obvious conclusion, "So… that round zebra thing only we could see was the 'space' part of the Angel?"

"Yes," answered Shadow, still hesitating.

"And… the kids managed to defeat it without seeing it?"

"It seems so. Why else would the black Evangelion just up and die like that? Besides," Now Shadow pointed at the three sparkling dots in the distance as well, "Chaos Emeralds don't just rain from above like for no reason. Not even in a time frozen dimension…"

Silver nodded, "The Angel, the space manipulator part of it at least, must have either made these emeralds from the model Tabris picked up from me when we met in the volcano that had Sandalphon, or it somehow snatched them from our universe."

Sonic digested everything his fellow hedgehogs said then continued, "And did the kids defeated it… at least without any, um, casualties?"

To that, neither Silver nor Shadow had any answer.

(SGE)

"This is so annoying! Whatever happened to the purple Chaos Emerald?"

Shadow grunted, "Just let it go, Sonic."

"I'm serious, we now have six instead of three but there's seven of them. Do you know how annoying it is to fail to get all of them with only one short?"

Now Shadow didn't just grunt, he groaned, "Probably as annoying as YOU'RE being right now. So shut IT!"

Silver cleared his throat and diverted the issue elsewhere, "So, I'm keeping the white and the yellow Chaos Emeralds, while you," He looked at Sonic.

"The green and the blue ones!" Sonic smiled at him.

Shadow didn't feel the need to let Silver speak again, "And I'm keeping the red and the teal Chaos Emeralds."

Silver nodded, "Any of us finds the last one, the purple, tell the others immediately."

The three hedgehogs nodded their agreement, Shadow still scowled while Silver's expression was neutral and Sonic had the same goofy grin.

But Sonic suddenly lost his smile, determination filling his expression, "We have to stop… whoever is commanding the commander - those dark monolith dudes, and commander Gendo himself at all costs guys."

Shadow was about to tell Sonic not to just up and yell at everybody at NERV that they are working for a guy that WANTS the world to end but the shimmering of the air itself stopped him, giving the opportunity for Silver to speak instead.

"I know what this is!" His eyes were wide, his expression worried. "Time is changing!"

The other two hedgehogs were entirely focused on him but it was Sonic that asked, "Is it… is the flow of it resuming?"

Silver appeared to focus on his two emeralds, one in each hand, and then nodded, "Yes! It's gonna be violent though!"

Shadow narrowed his eyes as everything began shaking, strangely in sync with the shimmering of the air, "What exactly does that mean?"

Something roared in agony, it wasn't a human or a bestial sound; it was as if the reality of that white sterile world was roaring, now all hedgehogs looked determined and at the ready before Silver actually answered. A searing crossing sound that filled everything.

"This reality of timelessness will disappear! Focus on where you were when the Time Angel first attacked!"

Sonic looked at him blinking, "Huh?"

"The Time Angel was altering time itself, so it's possible it had a failsafe to screw us over in case its 'Space' counterpart failed! Whatever you do, don't fall outside of our time, focus on the Chaos Emeralds! You have and return to the right point in space and time!"

Shadow took Silver's advice, as did Sonic and Silver, taking in both hands the red and teal Chaos Emeralds, as Sonic did with the green and blue and Silver with the white and yellow. The three hedgehogs were mirroring each other as the space around them came tumbling down, getting closer and closer to what seemed like final doom.

Then the entirety of time resumed flowing in a powerful shockwave, erasing the white timeless dimension, flinging Shadow so far away and so hard he couldn't even see if the same happened to Sonic and Silver.

(SGE)

Sonic was flung away HARD. He was used to sudden incredible bursts of speed but this was too much. He honestly couldn't tell what that shockwave did to him, or to Shadow and Silver, honestly. What he did know is that it was probably a good idea to keep focused on his present, on where he was before the Angel attacked.

 _Oh yeah! That delicious chilidog! I love the smell of chilidogs before a battle, I love the smell of chilidogs before a battle, I love the smell of chilidogs before a battle, I love the smell of chilidogs before a battle…_

He felt normal again. There was no other way to describe it; he felt normal and in a normal world again. He opened one eye and sure enough, he was exactly where he was before the black Evangelion swallowed everything, including him. He was in front of the vending machine. He opened his other eye quickly enough to see the Chillidog falling down. Again quickly enough, Sonic caught it just before it hit the ground, some mustard staining the white floor. He took a bite on it.

"Bleh! It's cold… and old… at least twelve hours old. What happened to time travel? Well, not that it matters."

He devoured the chilidog anyway, and rather quickly too, not minding the age of it because he had places to be, people to tell stuff to, he heard the commotion all around him, mostly above him. Once the chilidog was eaten he ran around, mostly climbing up catwalks and soon enough he saw it.

By that single image alone, Sonic realized Evangelion Unit 02 had somehow reduced the Angel to viscera. The visage of Unit 02 roaring covered in blood was horrifying but because of what he had already seen in the time frozen zones, it didn't really triggered more than a scowl on him. It also explained why the chilidog was old, he came to the time _after_ the Angel was defeated by Asuka.

So, not wasting any time on pondering or preoccupation, he ran to Misato. Running around very fast, he found her fairly quickly, in one of the lower cat walks. She too, was looking horrified at the berserking Evangelion in the distance.

"Misato!"

She had to blink to get out of the raging Eva induced trance, and blink again upon realizing it was him, he was back, "S-Sonic? What-?"

"Your bosses are lying to you!"

"What?"

"You are NOT in control of anything! The Angels are MEANT to attack the thing you saw down in Terminal Dogma with Shadow and Silver! The people that are in command WANT the world to friggin' END!"

Now Misato blinked again but she tried to keep a professional composure, probably thinking Sonic was hysterical or something, "Look Sonic, we don't know what just happened but The Angel has been killed. Things are under control. It was _you_ that disappeared suddenly."

He rose one eyebrow at her, "Under control?!"

Misato blinked, her mouth still open.

He narrowed his eyes at her and pointed at the roaring berserking form of Unit 02, "You see that?! Does that look like a robot under your control?!"

(SGE)

Silver was glad he and Shadow were near each other just before the time freezing over happened. It was also a convenience that they had returned to the time _after_ the Angel was defeated instead of where they were before the battle even started, before they were called in to the Eva cages to see the Angel for the kids. They had new and important information and there was strategy to be discussed.

"Shadow, what do we do?" he was still dashing towards the black hedgehog as he asked.

Shadow was focused on the roaring Evangelion in the distance; Silver could tell he was assuming the same thing about it: that Eva had just defeated the Angel. And then when Silver stopped by his side, he turned to him, "Whatever we do, we have to keep this quiet. We don't know why Gendo wants to destroy the world, or how it gets to that point. So we use the information we have to-"

"I said YOUR BOSSES WANT YOUR WORLD TO END MISATO! I don't know why, but I've seen it happen! EVERYTHING gets SCREWED!"

Shadow and Silver blinked at each other, wide worried eyes at what cut Shadow off, and ran towards the source of Sonic's voice. Crossing their nearest catwalk and going to a huge open area, seeing the open sky in the distance. There stood Evangelion Unit 02, covered in blood that was not its own, roaring its own victory in a godly display. But it was the pair by the lower cat walk that caught the hedgehogs' attention.

Sonic was yelling at Misato, "You're working for a guy that _wants_ third impact to happen!"

Shadow hid, gesturing for Silver to do the same. And he did, both of them behind the same nearby big crate.

As they were both crouching out of sight, Shadow groaned face palming, "Damn, Sonic is such an IDIOT!"

Silver clicked his tongue, "Yeah, that kind of ruins our plan of keeping this info to ourselves…"

"We have to run."

Silver blinked, "The great Shadow the Hedgehog, escaping?"

"I'm not running in fear. I'm running because Sonic screwed up. We'll be captured and maybe even killed for sure if the top dogs of NERV get wind of what we know now. Pray it doesn't happen to Sonic."

He took his two Chaos Emeralds from his pouch, holding both to his sides, "Chaos CONTROL!"

And then he was gone. A red and a teal flash from the gems erasing his wake. Silver looked in the direction Sonic was, hoped he'd escape like they did, and focused on his own white and yellow Chaos Emeralds.

(SGE)

Sonic hadn't screamed this much, was this upset about something in a VERY long time. In fact, he dared venturing this was the FIRST time he was this furious. His anger was seeping and he was about to snap. And that was NOT cool.

"Wha…what?" A still confused sounding Misato only added to his inner plight.

"I said YOUR BOSSES WANT YOUR WORLD TO END MISATO! I don't know why, but I've seen it happen! EVERYTHING gets SCREWED!"

"Wha…what? What are you saying? Why-?"

Sonic was yelling at Her, Sonic the Hedgehog was actually yelling at someone, "You're working for a guy that _wants_ third impact to happen!"

Now Misato regained at least _some_ of the military officer composure, she narrowed her eyes down at Sonic, "Why do you say that?"

"I've seen it! This last invisible Angel had a time counterpart that showed us the future!"

"Us?"

Sonic nodded, "Shadow, Silver and me! And we saw the world freakin' ending! I don't know how or why but I know THAT'S what happens!"

Misato crossed her arms, eyes still narrowed, composure still military, "You're saying…"

"I'm saying YOU HAVE ALL BEEN LIED TO! This ENTIRE war is based on a LIE! The bunch of old men that you're following WANT the world to FRIGGIN' END! INCLUDING your commander!"

But then something snagged him on the side of his back, just beside the main quill on his back, "AUGH," Sonic screamed as he felt the same snagged spot sting him, and that sting drained his energy in a rate that he felt very few times before. This was worse than having his rings lost under very deep waters by far, it was like he was almost instantly drained.

He looked to the side, from where the sting came to see a burly man in a black suit and dark glasses gesturing some sort of rod at him. Had him seem the thing coming, such a slow projectile never would have hit him, but it did and now he felt his juice and abilities to loosen dwindle away as everything started going dark.

 _No! I… I can't sleep now…! I can't lose! I… I have to tell-_

But everything still went dark.

(SGE)

Misato was still blinking. Her brain didn't kick back in until Sonic was on the ground unconscious, some sort of high tech needle on the side of his back, seemingly draining energy from him, just by the main spike of his spine. A lot of ugly surprises at once, first Unit 02 bursts out of the Angel, then Sonic reappears again saying the Commander and his masters want to end the world and now…

 _Sonic has been conveniently shot down…_

…She looked at the Section 02 agent that shot down the hedgehog, "Why the hell did you just do that?"

"We had orders from the commander Major. Restrain any of the hedgehogs if they started saying things along the lines of 'the commander will betray humanity'."

Misato narrowed her eyes, "Those are awfully specific orders. And you followed them even though there's a giant robot out of control bursting out of an Angel." She pointed at the form of Unit 02 trashing about in the distance, "AND you even had a piece of equipment capable of restraining a supersonic hedgehog!" Misato pointed at the rod like structure on his hand, "Care to explain?"

"Just as I told you Major; we have been stalking the base more than usual, keeping an eye out for them-"

Misato snapped, "Even during a mission?!"

The agent straightened his dark glasses and pushed something in his pocket after putting the strange rod away. "Section 02 doesn't sleep, Major. As for the equipment I used and the robots I just called to take the Mobian away, doctor Robotnik provided both of those."

Then Misato widened her eyes as two Egg-bots, yes the same Egg-bots that would have killed her in the Jet-Alone incident if it hadn't been for Sonic, appeared out of nowhere to take Sonic away.

Now Misato outright glared at the Section 02 agent, "It was Robotnik that sabotaged Jet-Alone! Probably so he would get some of those bots! It was Robotnik that wanted the hedgehogs DEAD!"

The Agent still appeared stoic, nothing but the slight scowl of always on his face, "Take it up to him then."

Misato was about to offer another rebuttal but her phone rang. It was Ritsuko's number. Her mind still racing from the Angel battle she had just fought…

 _We were about to nuke the place Asuka was at._

…she answered, worriedly watching Sonic being taken away unconscious, "Ritsuko. Please give me good news…"

She felt rather than heard the scientist groaning a pained sigh on the other side of the line, "I'm afraid I can't do that, Misato, I…"

"What?"

"We may have… lost Asuka…"

(SGE)

"Explain to me again why a sync ratio of four hundred percent and an entry plug hatch refusing to open for safety reasons might mean Asuka is gone, Ritsuko."

Ritsuko sighed, "I'm working on re-establishing the connection with Unit 02's entry plug, Major, so I can confirm or deny that it's bad."

And indeed she was still typing on the system of reconnaissance of Unit 02, working her way through the computerized matrixes to get the standard images and monitoring systems back online. And good thing she had work to do too. Because then at least she could focus on something else other than what a cluster fuck this whole operation was.

It all started with Asuka's flawless strike falling on what was in fact the Angel's Shadow, not the Angel itself. It didn't matter the 'Shadow' was invisible, the declarations from the hedgehogs were enough for them to focus on a target that wasn't actually the target. It was just bait. And they ate the whole deal hook, line and sink. It didn't even matter the hedgehogs weren't even there at the time to say where the Angel was. Asuka attacked and of course the Angel countered.

Asuka's absorption wasn't even the worst part, probably. It probably was the fact Ritsuko also had to accompany the locking away of a little creature that meant the world to her. Sonic's voice echoed in her head as the Egg-Bots and Section 02 took him away.

… _You're better than you think you are…_

Where were the other hedgehogs? Where did they go as their fellow hedgehog was arrested while screaming declarations of doom and betrayal from her commander and other dark masters? Seeing as they could teleport, they could be anywhere by now. And seeing as they DID leave, they probably thought and felt the same thing Sonic did; the commander would betray everyone. As would the committee; Gendo's dark masters, Ritsuko assumed.

 _And I dread to even think what they will do with that knowledge or what Sonic will tell us when he wakes… Will Gendo order me to kill Sonic depending on what he says?_

Ritsuko knew she could. With the anti-Chaos Energy fields made available by Robotnik, killing the hedgehogs creatures was easy. They were walking in a death trap, probably without knowing, ever since Robotnik installed said fields all around HQ and armed the Section 02 agents with the rods that also could fire an anti-Chaos Energy solution, combined with a needle like device that would also drain Chaos Energy. No way any of the three hedgehogs could actually stay awake after being shot by that. Sonic and Shadow could simply dodge the shot while Silver could use his telekinesis to not be hit but since Sonic WAS hit…

Not to mention, as of about ten minutes ago, they lost communications with Unit 01 in Sapporo. How would Misato react to that when she finally told her or when Misato found out? More importantly, _why_ were communications with Unit 01 down? Was Shinji fighting right now? NERV should know if he was, but every com unit with it was down.

The panic disguised as working hit full swing, eating Ritsuko up inside, when she actually managed to restore the monitoring system of Unit 02. The click of the entry plug's image coming on seemed like a distant echo of hopes lost.

"Oh god…" Misato also sounded like she lost all hope, her hands slowly rising to cover her open dry mouth and her eyes horrified.

There was nothing inside Unit 02's entry plug except Asuka's red plugsuit, floating around in the liquid, with nobody inside. Just a piece of red clothing floating around in liquid.

"Se-Senpai… is this the result of the 400% sync ratio?"

Misato and she couldn't even turn their heads to face Maya. This confirmed every single one of her fears. The last time they tried to fix this, it was her mother, and it was to Yui Ikari. And they had failed. Now there was an actual pilot, to an actual functional Evangelion on the line. Ritsuko expected some sort of tirade, some sort of explosion of Asuka praise followed by pleads to save the poor girl. What she got instead shook her out of her shocked stupor.

"Ritsuko, listen; Shinji-kun can't know about this!"

"Is that really Asuka's plugsuit?"

(SGE)

A puzzled voice that Misato recognized froze her in place, and she was pretty sure her eyes were wider and more horrified than Ritsuko's right now. And Ritsuko was already looking in the direction the voice came from. Slowly and stiffly, Misato turned to the same direction. And, surely enough contradicting Misato's wishes and sense of reason, there Shinji Ikari stood, just one or two paces away from them, staring wide eyed and horrified at the same screen.

 _This… This is not possible! HOW is he here? How did he get back?! Unit 01-_

"Misato…" Shinji cut her thoughts off and before Misato could voice the questions in her head, Shinji approached her slightly, with eyes still wide with horror and grief and without looking away from the image of the red plugsuit. Shinji spoke again; he asked with a quivering and stuttering voice, "M-Misato… Wh-what happened to Asuka?"

"S-Shinji. You… you're back already! How-?"

"After you told me to wait the second time, Iblis attacked. Though my fight with Iblis downed my communications somehow, it was fast and I won and I didn't even fight Mephiles. And he brought me back. And… Mi-Misato, is…" voice trying to explain too many things at one and eyes still wide with horror and grief, he finally turned away from the entry plug image to Misato, "Is that Asuka's entry plug?"


	7. At Death's Grip

**Chapter 7:** _ **At Death's Grip**_

"So Sonic… ALL of the mobians think my dad and the people above my dad _want_ the world to end?"

Misato could feel her face twisting in pain and worry as she nodded at the boy but then tried the best smile she could muster now, "Don't… pay much attention to that, Shinji-Kun. Sonic did say it and Silver and Shadow are nowhere to be seen but I'm sure it's just some sort of misunderstanding." The assistant tech she had ordered to fetch a hot chocolate finally arrived. She took the drink from him, nodded her thanks to send him away again and then offered the cup to Shinji, "Here."

Still sitting on the bench of the dressing room, Shinji took the cup weakly. Misato could tell he was thinking about a lot of stuff. She could also tell the boy was struggling with what to believe.

 _Is he thinking Asuka is lost forever or is he thinking his father might be a monster?_

She went with the first option, "Shinji-kun, listen; we're doing _everything_ that we can for Asuka, okay? Ritsuko said Asuka's mother left notes in case this happened, since it apparently happened to Unit 01 as well, so she should be able to mount a salvage operation rather quickly, unlike what would be if it was Unit 01."

From the silence that followed, Misato could tell what she just said served as a reminder of Asuka's current situation and it hurt him even more.

 _Good one Katsuragi…_

"Also, I'm…" She quickly added, sounding apologetic, "I'm sorry I tried to keep what happened to her from you. I was just trying to protect you…"

"…"

She sighed, "I'm sure you also did a great job defeating Iblis. Let's talk about that, okay?"

"…"

"Shinji-kun."

"…"

"Shinji-kun," Misato hesitated, knowing she had no choice but to press on, "Just take your time. From the start."

"…I got you Misato… just…" His head lowered further, "Can doctor Akagi really bring Asuka back?"

Misato sighed. _I can't tell him this was how his mother died, that the last person Eva 01 absorbed was Yui Ikari._

Again the sad smile, "We're doing everything we can, Shinji-kun. Besides, Asuka is tough. You know how tough she is right?"

He still didn't smile. Still didn't seem in higher spirits.

After another while, she saw no choice but to press again, "Shinji, about Hokkaido…"

He sighed, paused for a bit to look sadly into her eyes and finally started talking.

(SGE)

For some reason, Shinji was dreading this particular mission more than usual. The entire routine of getting into the Eva was a sort of a red haze of nervousness, filled with dread and the feeling that something was off.

 _I'm probably just worried because Asuka and I will be fighting in different cities, after I just told her I love her…_

With that thought complete, he found himself inside the plug and ready to departure, being carried by the Eva carrier plane. The ordeal of being deployed like this, being carried by an airplane wider than the Eva was also a different experience, also something new to add his list of 'stuff he did as a pilot'. Clouds passed him by as he was carried over by the carrier, with two other big airplanes flanking him, apparently carrying the batteries for his Eva's activation, and he was on cruise speed, on his way

"Shinji," Misato's face popped in his entry plug with the usual encouraging smile, "You enjoying riding the Eva riding a plane?"

Shinji couldn't smile back at her, as he usually did, even if weakly, "Yeah, it's alright Misato-san. I'm at cruise speed and I'll be arriving in a little over an hour.

Misato nodded "Alright Shinji-kun, listen; I will talk to you again in one hour and fifteen minutes, when you reach Sapporo in Hokkaido," Even Misato's usual smile before a mission failed to cheer him up, "This is me wishing you luck, and telling to stay calm, because we're doing everything we can for Asuka. And for Rei."

"Roger that, Misato. I'll talk to you then."

He sighed when Misato's face flashed out of existence on his plug.

The trip to Hokkaido was completely uneventful but he still felt edgy, still felt like something was amiss. This was strange even for someone who would sometimes get depressed like him. And all that worry and edginess was still directed to Asuka. Was he still worried about her? Was that all there was to it? All of that was still nagging him until…

 _Asuka?_

…he thought he heard Asuka crying and screaming when he finally arrived in Sapporo.

He shook his head, "I need to stop worrying about her, she'll be fine."

The plane hovered lowly and closer to the ground, decreasing its speed so fast even inside his plug Shinji felt the momentum of being pulled backwards. His Eva activated in standby mode, connected to an energy socket, no need to be all out just yet. After feeling the initial jolt of synchronization and testing his com Units, talking real quick to lieutenant Ibuki and Misato again, he was then deployed near something he recognized immediately; one of the mobile bunkers to remotely assist the Evangelion Units. The reason he saw it quickly was because it was completely out of touch with the rest of the Sapporo scenery.

Because Sapporo was not a military or even an industrial city. This was mostly a tourist attraction, vibrant, bright, and the buildings didn't go as high as his Eva did. As one of the bastion cities of Japan, one that had survived Second Impact, it still had a different quality to it, completely unlike the country side where he grew up in or Tokyo-03 where he currently lived.

 _Is this how cities were before the First Angel caused Second Impact?_

That and other useless running thoughts coursed his mind as he was now actively trying to not think about Asuka and why he was so convinced something had happened to her.

 _Nothing happened to her. She's too stubborn and too strong to let anything happen to her._

…

 _Stop worrying you idiot! She's just fine! Ah look there; you see? Your com light is blinking, Misato-san is calling, and she'll tell you Asuka is fine._

He flicked the switch, "Misato-san?"

"Hey Shinji-kun," She seemed too serious for some reason, but because of what she proceeded to speak, Shinji was quick to dismiss it, "The residents of Sapporo were evacuated, except for a few that were asleep and could couldn't be reached. Apparently soldiers, police men and fire men couldn't reach them without falling asleep themselves. The closer you get to that epicenter, the closer you will be to the source of all this, the stronger the sleep hold is," She smiled before concluding, "We are pretty sure whatever affected everybody won't affect someone inside the Evangelion. If whatever is there in Sapporo attacks you, you may engage."

"So, do I move in now?"

She instantly lost the smile and her eyes went wide, "No! Shinji-kun no!"

Shinji blinked.

"Shinji-kun, I want you to wait."

Shinji blinked again, now genuinely confused.

"Shinji, you are to stand by and wait for further instructions. Is that clear?" Now Misato was all business again.

"Um, a-alright then," Something still felt strange. He still felt edgy and couldn't stop the stutter.

Misato nodded with a neutral expression, "Alright then."

Shinji had to make an effort not to narrow his eyes, "Are you sure about this Misato?"

"I am, Shinji-kun. You are to stand by. I'm sorry about this, making you sit around in your entry plug for so many hours. I can't even imagine how boring that is but-"

"It's okay Misato-san," Shinji was kind enough to interrupt her, knowing she was currently dealing with something, "Orders are orders. I'll wait. And if the enemy moves, so will I."

Misato sighed, "Good, Shinji-kun."

"How's Asuka?" There it was. He finally asked the question. He thought it was odd Misato didn't mention her, actually making him even more worried.

And it didn't help that Misato's smile seemed fake somehow. "She… is… I'll update you when we have new info on this Angel."

Her face flashed out of existence and Shinji sat back on his plug.

"Asuka… please be okay," the empty plea didn't calm him and the empty entry plug gave him no answer.

He would sometimes tap his hands, open and close his fist, look around the deserted city and even tap his foot. In all that menial 'do it while waiting' tasks, ten hours passed. He checked his clock like he did a few times before after the numbness of his mind edged him again and after noticing the afternoon sky was pretty dark too.

 _It's been over eleven hours!_

He was indeed waiting there for about eleven hours.

 _Gosh, I wish something would-_

An invisible shockwave swept the area. His com unit went dead.

"Wh-what?" He looked at the panel of his entry plug and flicked the switch just to make sure.

… _I had to ask- to think it, didn't I?_

Yes, his com unit did go dead just now. Even his emergency radio wasn't responding. His cameras and monitoring systems were on, the Eva was effectively active so this couldn't have happened without outside influence. To make matters worse, the air outside the Eva shimmered.

Every piloting and fighting instincts went into overdrive.

BAM!

The short controlled explosion like sound seemed to be really close to him. It took him a millisecond to realize it was actually in the battery like structure the carrier planes of before that were flanking him deployed was what had exploded. Almost at the exact same moment, his entry plug gained a familiar flash of red coming from his right. He looked at the flash's source and, sure enough, his internal clock was ticking. 4 minutes and 58 seconds of functional time left.

"Misato-san! Ibuki-san! Batteries out of the Eva went dead!"

He knew it was futile and made the declaration more out of habit than actual functionality. Both the women could see his internal clock either way.

With nothing restraining his Eva, walking around the empty streets of Sapporo crossing one block with each step was as easy as just walking. After checking the area around him he remembered something that maybe would have been useful before his energies and communication devices went dead; what probably prompt him to move so suddenly and so readily was an electromagnetic pulse. That's probably what that invisible shockwave of before was. And it was one strong enough for the shielded equipment. Only something protected by an AT field wouldn't be affected by it, which was the only reason he still had the Eva's internal batteries.

He cursed his inability to identify that quickly, only viewing military knowledge through quick debriefs and Kensuke, and turned to see the support crew that was with him on the other carrier planes, flaking the plane that brought him and Unit 01. His eyes widened in fear when he saw a bunch of people lying down as if they were asleep. They were unconscious just like the rest of the people in Sapporo.

He gulped, "This is definitely the work of… whatever it is I came here to fight," then he futilely looked at him com unit again. It was still dead. Nobody, not even Misato would assist him on this.

Shaking as badly as he was the first time he piloted the Eva, he stood up again and cast aside the now useless power cable attached to his back, leaving behind the mobile command bunker that would originally assist him, walking away further than he did the first time. This was his first truly solo battle. Not even one person in a assist team on his back. Just him and his Eva.

Gulping again he stood fully erect and almost on his tip toes, going for height first, looking all around Sapporo, getting sight beyond the city he was standing at. Seeing the entire city was easy enough since Sapporo didn't have any buildings taller than his Eva. However, he saw nothing. There was nothing except the deserted city; nothing out of the ordinary except for the fact the city was abandoned.

He started moving faster and faster, looking for something, anything. He looked in every direction as he ran, the stomps of the Eva echoing the entire city, asphalt and sometimes even cars being crushed as the gargantuan purple giant dashed. But all of it was futile, because the enemy only became visible to Shinji when his internal clock had only 2 minutes of internal time left. And yes, Shinji identified it immediately.

It was a ball of fire hovering in mid-air, fairly distant from Evangelion Unit 01 but the fact Shinji saw it from that distance meant it was at least a two or three feet in diameter. Shinji approached it, dashing towards it at first but then slowing down when he realized the ball of fire was growing. It was now at least twelve or thirteen feet in diameter, the Evas could play basketball with it. Shinji was still walking towards it when it started not only to grow, but also to take form.

Yes, it was now taking a form, it was no longer a ball and its shimmering heat became visible to the naked way, waves and waves of the same invisible shockwave that assaulted Shinji once before were expanding and spreading, repeatedly tainting the surrounding air with electromagnetic pulses. It also grew a bit more, now having at least twenty feet of diameter. Shinji rose part of his AT field just to be safe, to make sure the EMPs would not affect his internal battery. After the shockwaves slowed down, the thing burned brighter, making Shinji shield his eyes with his arms from the glare. The fiery thing also grew even larger and it started growing limbs.

Yes, limbs. Shinji watched mesmerized as the thing that was once a ball now had a slightly bestial form, close to a wolf, but more monstrous than a wolf and made of red glowing fire. Slowly, ever so slightly, it gained shape and form as it grew, as it raged in a fiery inferno spreading shockwaves that were EMPs and shimmering the very air around itself. Oddly enough, the first thing that was clearly formed was the head.

The ugly, spike filled, beast like, elongated muzzle and elongated skull head.

The same elongated muzzle opened, revealing an abnormally long mouth as well, and right off the bat…

"RRRRROOOOOOAAAAAAAARRRRRRRR!"

…Shinji reflexively cowered, protecting himself because the roar that came out of said mouth was the most horrifying thing he had ever heard.

Once the horrifying sound was done, the beast was fully formed, fully gown. It was like a fiery demon, made of lava and rock and it was as big as Evangelion Unit 01 if it was standing up, maybe bigger. It also had an extra set of paw like arms in the middle of the torso. It then hit Shinji: This thing looked like the Angel he and Asuka fought near that volcano. Only it didn't have tendrils all around its rocky skin, had six paws instead of four and its roar was more familiar to Shinji in its bestial animal like nature; this beast like thing sounded more like an animal whereas the Angel sounded more like an alien infant crying loudly.

The fight had begun. Shinji's internal clock showed 1 minute and 14 seconds of power left.

(SGE)

Misato sighed, her body language probably telling Shinji that it was okay to take a break from talking. She simply turned from him to check her own reports about the previous few hours; the sudden unconsciousness of the support team that flew with Shinji as well as the reporting of power outage all over Sapporo corroborated Shinji's story. Nobody told her what was happening there because nobody could, being either unconscious or without electrical power and communication. Except for the Evangelion itself, the systems were vulnerable to jamming of several types of waves and a succession of electromagnetic pulses could do that.

In other words, up until this point, Shinji's story made perfect sense and what Misato knew supported it. Also, the boy was there in front of her so she knew he had won the fight against Iblis and was safe. So why the hell was she feeling so edgy about the whole ordeal? Would Shinji eventually say something that corroborated what Sonic said about the commander wanting the world to end? Shinji breathed slowly and sipped the water one of the techs brought for him under Misato's request and Misato had nothing to do except continue listening.

"That thing was probably Iblis, if the Intel we got from Silver before was right."

Shinji just sat completely still, eyes dejected.

"Well Shinji-kun…"

He rose his still dejected eyes to meet hers, not saying anything.

"…how was the fight?"

(SGE)

Shinji started things off very basically; a couple of paces to reach the beast followed by a punch that came from upwards towards the muzzle, right in the face, since the beast was on all fours and right in front of him. The punch connected but the muzzle simply slipped out of Shinji's trajectory and went upwards, opening the huge mouth and closing down on Unit 01's wrist.

Shinji's groan of pain as the sharp teeth and the heat of the lava damaged his wrist plating was quick and low and his other arm immediately punched the creature's throat. It groaned in pain but not only it didn't let go of Shinji's other arm, it also rose its front paws to embrace Shinji's hip, its claws tearing and connecting to the sides of Unit 01's waist. Shinji punched the throat of the creature repeatedly until it let go of his wrist and focused entirely on 'embracing' Shinji in a death grip of sorts.

Focused solely on punching the throat and head of the creature, Unit 01 lost its footing. As they both fell on the ground, Shinji kept punching the creature, noticing cracks in the stony fiery skin of the wolf like monster with an elongated head and muzzle. Getting further inwards on the body he was on top of, the fiery beast puked a bolt of hot magma. Shinji felt his chest burn as the lava melted the chest plating of Unit 01, giving the giant beast leeway to climb further onto the top of Evangelion Unit 01 and going for Shinji's throat.

Before it could clamp its jaws on Shinji's neck with its full force, Shinji foresaw that and grabbed the both ends of the jaw. It was easy enough since the jaw was huge. He still felt the neck getting torn up but still fought it with all he could, all the while the paws of the beast were also trashing about, also making damage. Even if it was more to the streets than to his Evangelion.

They struggled like that for a good while, as the final thirty seconds of Shinji's internal battery ticked away. He was managing to drive the beast's mouth away from his neck but it was like fighting a rabid wolf that could vomit lava. And speaking of vomiting lava, Shinji felt the mouth he was holding onto heat up and become brighter. The beast hurled another bout of lava in the form of projectile vomit.

"AAAAAAAAHHH!"

Shinji couldn't stop the screaming this time, as it burned his neck and a good chunk of his face because he was holding the muzzle right above his throat. Maybe it was the pain of the burn or the adrenaline rush that coursed him as he entered the final ten seconds of his internal battery life, but he suddenly remembered he had a prog knife, the only equipment he still had access to and didn't need anybody of the support team to actually activate.

In a swift motion, the knife came alive and within his reach from his Eva's shoulder pylon and, because he was already positioned under the giant beast like thing, just at the same level as its elongated head with long muzzle, and because the six paws of the thing on top of him were busy pinning him down and its muzzle was busy vomiting on him, it was fairly simple for Shinji to plough the knife in the thing's skull.

It roared a scream of pain and agony as it trashed about and it took the final five seconds of Unit 01's internal battery for it to finally lie down and die. Everything inside Shinji's entry plug had gone dark and his Evangelion had gone limp and lifeless but he was still over flooded with relief. Since the feel of synchronization had left him, the pain of the burning and the bites also left him, and with the thing dead, his mission was accomplished. He defeated the monster that was terrorizing Hokkaido just before his Eva ran out of power, on the last second of his internal battery in fact.

Or so he thought.

(SGE)

Misato blinked then narrowed her eyes, "Why was that only what you thought, Shinji-kun?"

He looked back down, "…"

She soothed her face at the boy again, "What happened after that?"

Shinji still hesitated a bit, "Like you said Misato, I didn't know it then but… that giant beast like… 'lava thing' was Iblis… Mephiles was also around."

Now Misato was genuinely worried, even though she still knew the boy was safe, he was right in front of her, she had to panic at the mere notion of what she asked next, "You... went after Mephiles even with your Eva out of power?"

"…"

"Shinji-kun."

"Not… really. Like I told you before, Misato; I didn't even fight Mephiles. And he brought me back."

Misato blinked, "He… brought you back, just like that?"

Shinji nodded and continued his story.

(SGE)

The entry plug had ejected completely out of nowhere and it startled Shinji. He was out of the Eva and out of the range of the melting dead beast like fiery creature that had just now become completely immobile with his prog knife in its head.

Once out of the ejected plug, Shinji found himself in the middle of a deserted road, in a fairly large city. The emptiness was strangely contrasted against the bright colors of Sapporo, even with the destruction in the distance, with the prone bodies of the fiery creature with the prog knife in its head and Unit 01 under it. But then Shinji saw someone lying on the ground.

He was told that the some of the residents that fell asleep all of a sudden were not evacuated but it was still weird and eerie seeing a body fallen like that, asleep on the asphalt. He looked around, checked the communicator in his plugsuit and looked again towards the distance and pretty much everywhere. He was completely alone. Whether it was his solitude or the compelling to help the stranger, Shinji moved away from his deactivated Eva and support structure that was filled with sleeping NERV people, towards the fallen man on the ground.

Upon arriving at the stranger, Shinji noticed he was pointing upwards, up the next street. Shinji blinked, "Where are you pointing at?"

Of course the man didn't answer so Shinji just looked in the direction the sleeping man was pointing at. Then he widened his eyes.

There was a trail of bodies pointing towards a fast food shop further down the street.

Shinji started shaking. He had to tell himself those ten or so bodies were all just asleep, like Misato told him and like what had happened to everyone else in Sapporo. And he reminded himself how the bodies closer to the epicenter of whatever was happening in Sapporo couldn't be rescued because the people coming in later _also_ fell asleep. Further inspection made Shinji see police men and fire men spread about in the distance as well, outside of the trail that seemed made for him.

Yes, that trail of sleeping people seemed to be guiding him towards something and that made him tremble. Shinji trembled even more when a very particular thought crossed his mind:

 _I… I could have squashed some of these innocent people when I ran around looking for that beast I defeated… I… DID I squash someone?_

The question made him horrified and for the first time in his piloting time, he felt disgusted with himself, not only wanting to run from the pain of it, but actually disgusted at the notion of having hurt someone, or even allowing someone to be hurt. Toji's sister came to his mind and he wished Toji was there to punch him again. Several consequences that he had never even considered, about failing to protect someone because he ran away flooded him.

 _This… I don't… I can't run away. Not ever. This proves people will definitely be hurt if I don't do anything… Hell they might get hurt even if I DO something…_

That thought made him dejected, for a second he stopped and looked down. After a while, as if remembering all the unconscious people making a trail in front of him, strangely pointing to what looked like a fast food shop.

 _You have it bad Shinji. You might fail to save anyone even if you try; You remind your father your mom is dead so he hates you…_

He started thinking to himself as he started walking towards the fast food joint that the trail of sleepers led to and pointed to.

 _But you also have a lot of good stuff; you have a beautiful girlfriend and dear friends… think about your… scary epiphany later._

…

 _Seeing this many people asleep on the street… how come I'M not being affected by this? Shouldn't I be asleep too by now? Is it because I managed to kill that monster just now? Shouldn't the people be waking up by now then?_

His inner questions distracted him enough for him to arrive at the food place. One look through the glass window made him take a quick step back to hide, his back against the wall.

 _Oh god what… what WAS that THING?_

Shinji edged towards the window with nothing but his eyes, struck by curiosity and fear. And it wasn't like he had a choice, with everything else being deactivated and him being alone. His eyes edged the window and he saw it again. Now being over the initial fright of seeing it, he could really make it out now.

It had its back to him. Shinji could tell it was the back because it had quill like spikes like Sonic, Shadow and Silver did; only those quills seemed made of stone. A cobalt blue dented stone with its pointy edges being a light blue, an almost white bluish hue. The dark cobalt blue and the light blue in crystal like formations all over the rocky skin gave out a strange and terrifying contrast. Couple that with the fact the legs of the creature seemed to be on fire… this was hands down the scariest hedgehog yet. Shadow and his scowls and talking down on Shinji didn't come even close to this. The fact Shinji was seeing only his back as it was sitting down on the table closest to the counter of a crappy food joint didn't ease that at all.

"Hello, Shinji." And now that its eerie echoic like male voice talked to Shinji, he actually froze in place.

Shinji wanted to scream. To flee the scene in terror and scream for help, scream for Asuka, for Misato, even for his father. But whether it was the curiosity about the creature or as to why the creature knew him or even the very unlikely scenario that this thing was not hostile, was another friend of Sonic's, he kept frozen in place.

"Well," the creature hesitated. Was it eating something? "Come in."

Being that used to do as he was told and feeling the immense pressure of the presence just before him inside the restaurant, he obeyed. Upon entering the establishment, he finally saw the thing's face. Like Sonic and the other hedgehogs, it had a cartoony round like muzzle and large eyes but Shinji was once again jolted by fear and horror when he made out more details on the creature. The muzzle also seemed to be crystal like, much like the clear indentations on the cobalt blue skin.

And the eyes! Good lord the eyes almost made Shinji flee for his life; they had a red background and yellow irises. The only reason Shinji didn't flee screaming; screeching his plugsuit clad feet on the ground was because the thing wasn't looking at him, being more focused on eating than on Shinji. Another scary thought passed through Shinji's head, aiding in keeping him frozen; it really was eating, but it had no mouth. Yes, his muzzle was solid. Shinji couldn't even see what he was eating because of that, focusing on the monstrosity of its mouthless muzzle.

"Are you… death? The Mobian death?" His voice was barely above a whisper.

"Mephiles will suffice."

Shinji gulped as he felt his eyes tearing up and his bladder voided. He was thankful the plugsuit had properties to aid in that and hoped the Hedgehog in front of him wouldn't notice, so he would at least die with some dignity. As that finality crossed his mind, he became even more apathetic to the fear paralyzing him.

"Come. Sit down. The Jingisukan is delicious."

Shinji was still too terrified to do more than two things at once so he couldn't say anything as he sat down in front of Mephiles, noticing his hands were trembling when he pulled the chair in front of the scary cobalt hedgehog. A useless thought crossed his mind; He heard about that plate Mephiles was eating before, it was a meaty treat or something.

"I've been waiting to talk to you since I arrived in this universe."

Shinji breathed, finally managing, "I gotta say… mixed feelings about that…"

Mephiles said nothing, still focused on eating his Jingisukan. The darkness of his crystal like skin reflecting the dim light of the restaurant. But what really freaked Shinji out even more was the fact the slabs of meat disappeared into the muzzle, no mouth to chomp on them.

"So, is… is this the part where… where you kill me?" Shinji felt and sounded surprisingly calm as he stated that, still in apathy to the huge fear coursing him, still aware he had voided his bladder.

Mephiles halted his chopsticks on the plate and looked at him. It was the first time the huge scary red eyes with yellow irises looked at Shinji, and if Shinji hadn't pissed himself before, he would have now. This was a really scary, really intimidating hedgehog.

When he noticed Shinji wouldn't say anything else, Mephiles rolled his eyes, "You overestimate your importance. To something like me, something like you… well," Mephiles paused to slurp the straw of his soda, which Shinji noticed he had only now. Mephiles drank what was left of it before continuing, "Think how you would feel if a bacteria sat at your table and started being snarky and self-important…"

Shinji didn't say anything, didn't even blink.

Mephiles continued, "This is one tiny planet. In a tiny solar system. In a galaxy that's barely out of its diapers. In one single universe that is only one in a _multitude_ of universes."

Now confusion was mingling with Shinji's fear.

"I'm _old,_ Shinji. _Very_ old. I have seen the plenitude of dimensions and the Multiverse, I have travelled through several universes with my former master throughout the endless sea of dimensions…"

Shinji kept silent. Mephiles' chopsticks picked another slab of lamb meat from the plate and took it to his mouthless muzzle.

"I have watched my former master devour those universes and most of the times I even aided him in doing so."

Shinji still kept silent. Mephiles was now picking food up from the main plate in front of him and putting on a separate plate for some reason.

"Consider everything I just said to you, and contemplate how _insignificant_ I find you…"

Shinji was surprised when Mephiles placed the plate he was making in front of Shinji, serving him some of the Jingisukan.

"Eat…" Mephiles commanded.

Shinji gulped. Surprised he actually managed to move his hands and get the chopsticks, separating them with a pluck. Still shaking, he even managed to utter "I-itadakimasu…" before trying some of the meat. He munched one bite slowly.

"Good, isn't it?"

Shinji couldn't rightly process his own taste buds right now but nodded anyway. After swallowing and seeing Mephiles eat another bite he finally managed, "Well um… now I'm curious. How old are you?"

"As old as the Multiverse. Maybe older. I can't remember anymore." He spoke while he ate, pausing only to swallow, "Yes, it's a very interesting discussion; life, death, chicken or the egg. Regardless, the Multiverse will eventually die as well."

Shinji swallowed as Mephiles simply took another bite. The size of what Mephiles just said to him hitting him like a giant anvil that crushed him completely, "You… You will see the end of the Multiverse?"

Mephiles looked at him again, "All things must end Shinji," Then looked at the food to eat more.

Shinji blinked, his mouth twitched a nervous terrified smile, "I… I guess I'm really in way over my head here."

It was weird seeing Mephiles move his mouthless muzzle as if he was chewing, "Just a bit."

"So I… I gotta ask… If you're not going to… kill m-" Shinji swallowed, interrupting himself, "I mean… why-why am I still alive? Sitting here with you?"

Mephiles consumed another slab of meat; it disappeared into the mouthless muzzle.

"What… what do you want?"

He finally paused his eating, "The leash around my neck off."

Shinji blinked.

"Solaris has me bound to him. I want out."

Shinji didn't know what to say to that.

"I say he's a former master just because I don't want to obey him anymore. I didn't know I was a slave, I didn't know I had choice before Solaris was defeated for the first time and one of his meals was denied to him."

Despite the fear and nervousness, engines turned inside Shinji's head, "That was when Sonic, Silver and Shadow defeated him?"

"Correct. Before that, I didn't know I was bound to him."

"But… why? Aren't you," Shinji gulped, disbelieving he was having this conversation, "Aren't you death?"

"What I am is not the point, it's what Solaris is."

"And what-"

"He's a mindless universe eating machine."

Shinji blinked, now more confused than afraid.

"The Multiverse is always growing, useless dimensions, altered timelines that become their own thing, realities that are forgotten, dimensions that are forsaken. There are always universes popping up that need to be erased, some place sometime there is ALWAYS going to be a madman with a typewriter."

Mephiles then looked at a very special angle Shinji couldn't see or even understand why he was looking at it. The angle where he sees RealRemainder, writing this fic in his room, and Mephiles' stare sent shivers down the author's spine.

Then he looked back at Shinji, who didn't understand anything, " _Always._ "

Shinji held his breath and concluded, "And Solaris _eats_ those unused realities."

"Yes. Of course they aren't always unused, but the first time he was actually halted was when the other hedgehogs stopped him. Which made me see he exists because he must, dimensions and realities are what he eats and I am bound to him, for no reason other than I _am._ "

"And you think I can unbind you from Solaris?"

Mephiles groaned, "There's your ridiculous bravado again. Of _course_ you _can't_."

"…"

"But you can stop Solaris from coming here altogether, hence giving me the chance to escape."

Shinji blinked, "How?"

Mephiles then pulled out a jewel. A big jewel the size of Shinji's fist, in a octagonal shape that Shinji recognized, even though he had seen it only a few times with Sonic and the other hedgehogs and they were green, red and white instead of purple. In Mephiles' hand, being shown to Shinji was the purple Chaos Emerald.

"You know what this is?" Mephiles asked.

Shinji hesitated but answered, "Yeah?" unsure as to why he said it as a question.

Mephiles wiggled the emerald once to him, "I'm inclined to give it to you."

Shinji blinked, "To… _give_ it to me, just like that?"

"That's what I said."

Shinji considered the situation, where he was and what happened, "What about all those people asleep? What about Hokkaido?"

Mephiles sighed, appearing even more annoyed at him, "I'm not going to destroy it. The beast you killed was going to do that. If I do too much here, I might open the way to Solaris. That's also why I have to use you as an errand boy. Besides, I like the Jingisukan."

Shinji breathed a mental sigh of relief and extended his hand towards the purple gem Mephiles was holding.

And the hand of the crystallized abomination hovered above Shinji's, but he still held the purple jewel, "There are two conditions."

Shinji blinked and then gulped. He thought it wouldn't be that easy.

"Don't worry, you already fulfilled one. Which was severing my bond to crisis, the one called Iblis. But for the flames of disaster to be gone completely and myself, made free, you have to stop this universe from being swallowed, for that will create the entrance into this universe Solaris will use to come eat it."

Shinji blinked.

"You have to stop Third Impact at any cost."

Shinji creased his brow in confusion, "Stop the… apocalypse caused by the Angels?"

"Yes."

Shinji blinked again, still frowning in confusion, "Well, yeah we _want_ to stop that."

"At ANY cost…"

Shinji felt even more confused, blinking again and almost shrugging, "That's the plan."

"No. No plan, no counter measures, no last minute fix, no frantic battle as everything is already crashing down and burning, no desperate last stand doomed to fail."

"…Um… I-"

"You wish to stop the apocalypse, you have only one alternative: All the Angels have to die, and your father has to die."

Now 'shock' was also tainting Shinji's expression, "Why does my father-"

"He too wishes for Third Impact to happen. And he has the means to cause it."

A few moments of silence filled the air as Shinji let that declaration really sink in. Then he shook his head and looked right into those scary yellow eyes, "W-wait, you think-"

"I know." Mephiles cut him off harshly.

Shinji wanted to scream at this creature, to say things like 'my father would never do that' but, whether it was because of the fear he still felt or because of how very recently he discovered his father hated him, which prompted even a suicide attempt which he ultimately hadn't gone through with thanks to Sonic, he didn't. In fact he said nothing. All he was doing was just staring at Mephiles open mouthed. He just sat there staring at Mephiles open mouthed.

"So you're going to promise me something. You're going to end your father's life. Stop him from ending the world."

"…"

"Well?"

Shinji still warred within himself, the feelings for his father, the truth about him and what this creature just said about him, it all crashed down in such a way Shinji still couldn't answer.

"Do I have your word?"

But Shinji thought it was best to please Mephiles at least for now so he finally weakly nodded, as convincingly as he managed, "A-alright, y-yes…"

Mephiles stared at him expressionlessly for a little more time, "That better be 'yes', Shinji. You know you can't cheat death," then he finally dropped the purple Chaos Emerald that was still being held above Shinji's palm right on it.

Shinji felt the texture of the pretty jewel, losing himself in the bright purple, brighter than his Eva for a few seconds before Mephiles caught his attention again.

"Now," Mephiles was looking at the emerald too, "Would you like a tutorial? Although you're not a mobian, you should be able to hide it within you, use an offensive skill and also a teleportation skill."

Feeling the almost magical like and as smooth as graphite texture of the Gem's surface, Shinji nodded.

Mephiles nodded slightly, "Now I could just explain it to you but it would take too long. It's easier like this."

At which point Mephiles touched Shinji's forehead with his index finger and everything went black.

Maybe a life time passed. Maybe it was just a few days or maybe it was just a few hours. What Shinji did managed to figure out was that the emerald was somehow inside him. He also knew how to make a heat beam with it and also how to teleport with it. He didn't know how but he knew it, and he knew that was what happened to him during the time he lost the notion of time, even though he was technically unconscious. Maybe it came to him in dream form or maybe it came into his mind simply through force but he knew Mephiles had infused him with the knowledge to use the Emerald only the mobians could.

He couldn't ponder on it or do anything about it because he came to, painfully opening his eyes and he saw an environment he recognized; he was back at NERV HQ.

 _Mephiles didn't just force knowledge into my head, he also brought me back… Is that Misato talking to Doctor Akagi?_

He walked maybe three steps towards the women he knew, noticing lieutenant Ibuki was also nearby. Maya commented something he couldn't quite make out and then he saw something that pretty much reminded him how scared he was just a short while ago: Asuka's entry plug. Funny how he could recognize it even without Asuka in it, just her empty plug suit floating around in the LCL.

"Ritsuko, listen; Shinji-kun can't know about this!"

Misato's worried warning all but confirmed his fear, so the first thing he said was, "Is that really Asuka's plugsuit?"

(SGE)

 _This is the mother of all cluster fucks…_

That was the main thought coursing Misato's mind, red hot angry and frustrating, shortly after Shinji finished telling his story. Even though the deployment of Unit 01 to Hokkaido was a success and Mephiles teleporting the pilot back was a convenience, Unit 02 had to be restrained by their own city's defenses, and when they found a way to bring communications with it back up, they saw that its pilot had vanished. Shinji walked in on her and Ritsuko and also saw that she vanished, because the Mobian Grim reaper did him the favor of teleporting him back to HQ. He didn't tell her anything about the Chaos Emerald he supposedly still had and maybe even knew how to use now but with what happened to Asuka, she let that one slide. She would talk to him again later.

On top of all that, the hedgehogs had apparently betrayed NERV; Misato knew she was not being told everything but how likely was it that the Commander and the instrumentality Committee were hiding something like what Sonic was claiming? At least she wanted to believe badly that the heroic slider hedgehog was wrong… or WERE wrong, if you consider the other hedgehogs, currently missing, also thought the same thing. Another danmable itch in that whole business was the fact NERV had become extremely convenient against mobian hedgehog uprising, almost as if they were foreseeing this.

 _Running away instead of out bursting like Sonic did fits Shadow and Silver, if you consider they have this kind of information._

 _Maybe Shinji-kun didn't tell me everything that Mephiles told him but the mere fact he said stuff along the lines of what Sonic was saying before Section 02 neutralized and arrested him… The only good thing that happened today was the Angel and Iblis were successfully neutralized._

…

 _Why did it turn out like this?_

She was not looking forward to the talk she would have to have with her ward, her commander and the blue mobian in the Anti-chaos energy holding cell. She would take this chance to have a long overdue talk with Robotnik too. And above all else, hope Ritsuko would be able to bring Asuka back. She knew losing her probably meant losing Shinji as well.

 **Authors note: Evangelion belongs to Gainax, Sonic belongs to Sega. Many thanks to GamerJay for betareading and allowing me to use the Omake ahead.**

 **Itadakimasu is something you say in Japanese before you eat, meaning "Let's receive it", usually translated as "let's eat". And Jingisukan is a Hokkaido delicacy, which exists in pretty much every city of the island and is made of barbecued lamb and mutton. I never tried it myself but it's supposedly very tasty, and almost exclusive to Hokkaido. I see bad ass Mephiles being a meat lover and sparing the island to spare the treat.**

 **Sorry if you didn't appreciate the fourth wall breaking guys. Honestly couldn't write that any other way. You know, to describe Mephiles's predicament and his awareness of things and still make him look bad ass. I usually hate fourth wall breaking. The ones I like are few and in between… On the bright side it gave me the idea for the following previously mentioned Omake.**

 **OMAKE: With props to GamerJay**

"The Multiverse is always growing, useless dimensions, altered timelines that become their own thing, realities that are forgotten, dimensions that are forsaken. There are always universes popping up that need to be erased, some place sometime there is ALWAYS going to be a madman with a typewriter."

Mephiles then looked at a very special angle Shinji couldn't see or even understand why he was looking at it.

The angle where he sees GamerJay writing whatever, and Mephiles's stare catches his attention, at which point GamerJay says, "Oh no you don't!"

GamerJay then types a lot really fast and, when Mephiles looked back at Shinji, there was no longer a meek teenager who didn't understand anything, but instead a ruthless boy predator, fully geared with biomask, shoulder cannon, leather mesh, yatja armor, wristcomps, nodachi sword and combistick spear.

Mephiles blinked and that was all the time Shinji Curved Blade needed: One swing of the nodachi at Mephiles's neck beheaded the hedgehog. The spiked head fell to the ground, yellow eyes with red background frozen in an expression of horror. Curved blade then picked up the severed head of the cobalt, black and white hedgehog and raised it above his own head.

"SCRYYYYYAAAAAAA!" The muffle from the mask made the roar even more powerful, as he dangled Mephiles' head above him.

GamerJay smiled, "Thanks Curved Blade!"


	8. Repercussions

Disclaimer: Evangelion belongs to Gainax, Sonic belongs to Sega.

Thoughts of gratitude: Big thank you goes to GamerJay for beta reading.

 **Chapter 8:** _ **Repercussions**_

"This is a load of crap, Yusuke!"

Of course Yusuke didn't show, being that used to shut off his own emotions, but the head of Section 02 was thoroughly enjoying the Major's outbursts, even the rare fact she was calling him by his name. He just kept on walking with her by his side as they made their way to the Commander's office.

"Consider the information I just relayed to you! Are you really going to tell me nothing but 'the commander told me to neutralize the hedgehogs with the new tech if they ever rose up against NERV'?!"

"I do as I am told Major. Like you. You have a problem with convenient relayed new tech, talk to doctor Robotnik. You have a problem with sketchy orders, talk the Commander," he clicked the switch that opened the huge door to the huge office of the supreme commander of NERV, "After you."

He gestured the open door into the huge office, the man in question was sitting in his desk, papers and even a phone by his side this time. The sub-commander standing up right behind him. Both of them walked up to the two men, Yusuke enjoyed the sight of the Major walking up front ahead of him, with purpose and almost stomping.

"Operations Director. Section 02 chief."

The stoic voice of their boss acknowledging them didn't seem to reel in the tactical director this time, "Commander, what's going on here, sir?"

"The Mobians rose up against NERV with baseless accusations and were dealt with accordingly. The only one we managed to of course. I didn't think you'd ever need a rundown of past events, Major."

The woman actually narrowed her eyes at the commander, "And we conveniently had everything ready in case the Mobians ever went haywire?"

"With all of these powerful supersonic creatures walking around the base, are you saying we shouldn't have prevented against a possible mobian uprising, Major?"

"And you trusted a dubious and suspicious asset to provide you unknown tech, sir?"

Now Gendo actually raised his chin slightly to face her, "Robotnik has provided invaluable aid before and has diplomatic immunity," he straightened his glasses, "Any falsehood of the past regarded only his enemies, not NERV and that by itself should grant him lenience."

"He tried to use the Evangelions against said enemies, sir, against human sized hedgehogs," Yusuke was impressed at this woman's balls. He didn't know anyone capable of talking back to commander Ikari like this, not without relaying plans against an Angel.

"That's in the past, Major. And we didn't fall for his antics, actually using the hedgehogs as we saw fit. What the blue one did now, probably in cohort with the other two, only further proves the usefulness of the doctor," Now he actually glared at the woman or at least it seemed he did from where Yusuke was standing, observing the eyes from behind the dark yellow glasses, "Or perhaps Major, are you suggesting the hedgehog's accusations have merit?"

Yusuke smiled internally at what finally shut the woman up.

"Attend to matters of more importance. I'm sure there are issues for you to look into with the salvage operation of Unit 02 and the beginning of the testing operations in NERV Nevada."

Misato crossed her arms, "Evangelion Units 03 and 04 will be brought over soon?"

The commander gave her a slight nod.

"Sir," Misato nodded back and turned to leave. A more controlled pace than when she walked in.

Yusuke straightened his tie and his black suit, "You realize she's going to try and press Robotnik now then probably the Hedgehog, don't you sir?"

"Like I told the tactical director, section 02 chief: Attend to matters of more importance. How goes the protection detail of the Fourth Child?"

"The Marduk reports were distributed and one of my men is already constantly tailing him, even though the science director is yet to approach him."

"Good. Judging by the info of his file, he'll certainly accept our offer. And the detail of the Second Child?"

"They have been pulled back. But is that really wise, sir?"

"She's happier now then she could ever be out of her Eva. I will even make arrangements to bring in the Fifth Child already. She needs a replacement."

Now even Yusuke flinched at how the man talked about a teenager as if she was already dead.

(SGE)

"This cat and mouse game ends now, Eggman."

Misato understood Sonic a little better now; it really did feel good calling this smirking fat bastard that. Very fitting nickname too; he really was a giant talking red egg.

"Wipe the smirk off your face," she walked further into his office, towards him, "Section 02 is busy with some direct orders their chief received from the commander and they're watching out for all hedgehogs; the one in our prison and the ones still on the loose. Plus I couldn't care less about your diplomatic immunity," She walked a few more paces as she spoke and he was now cornered by her, "Nobody is going to defend you now, so talk!"

"Whatever do you mean my dear Major?" Misato could tell he was being flippant, even though he stopped smirking.

"How do you know about the Angels _before_ they even attack?" Now she got really serious, grabbing him by the collar of his red coat, bringing him close to her face, "And most importantly; how did you know the hedgehogs would eventually betray NERV, and set up our entire structure to counter them if-" she swallowed, " _when_ they did?!"

He raised both his hands as she still held him "I assure you I was simply looking out for the best interests of the security of NERV HQ with the additions of hardware-"

"DON'T! Don't feed me this _bullshit!_ "

Misato had to restrain herself not to toss the giant egg against the wall but lifted him up off the ground instead. She ignored how he almost belched when she did.

"You did NOT conveniently fill our corridors with hidden cases for two hundred and fifty of those automated Egg-bots designed to fight the hedgehogs for security! And you did NOT give every Section 02 Agent a weapon designed specifically to take down the hedgehogs for convenience! You did NOT do all that in secret for _nothing!_ "

Finally he seemed a little nervous, "I-I didn't-!"

"You KNEW the hedgehogs would eventually turn on us! Just like You KNEW what every Angel we've fought since you've been here would be like!" Those weren't questions, she narrowed her eyes to emphasize even more the _actual_ questions "WHY?! HOW?!"

Robotnik gulped, thought about it, but relented, "There is a document called the Dead Sea Scrolls. Old as the First Angel himself. It is a… instruction manual, if you will… to an alien terraforming machine."

Misato blinked.

"That is what the first Angel was, basically. An alien terraforming machine, it fell on this world sixty five million years ago and it remade the entire environment in its image. That was First Impact. Second impact was when a bunch of old men activated the same terraforming machine without reading the instruction manual for it."

Misato knew he was speaking at least half truth and her arms were beginning to tire, so she put him back to the ground though she didn't let go of his jacket.

"What the same old men don't know is that the same instruction manual for the same ancient terraforming machine has the instructions of what happens when it's activated, of what is supposed to happen. I assure you Major, what I know is mere speculation based on what I deciphered of the ancient instruction manual; the Dead Sea Scrolls."

Misato let go of him and crossed her arms, "And how did you know the hedgehogs would rise up against us?"

(SGE)

Robotnik's smirk returned. _The Dead Sea Scrolls also explain how godhood is granted to the one that awakens Lilith and ascend in the Red Moon Ceremony my dear. If the hedgehogs somehow got wind of that, or of the fact Gendo also desires godhood; of course they'd do something about it._

"Well?" Misato narrowed her eyes at him again. He must have been standing there smirking longer than he thought.

But naturally, he wouldn't say anything of what he just thought, "I had no idea they would, Major. Back in our universe, I have fought with the hedgehogs my whole life, dear Major. I assure you, thinking how to neutralize them as they walked in my own environment was merely habit."

"Was it now? Or maybe that ancient instruction manual, the Dead Sea Scrolls as you called it, has more in it then you're telling me."

Robotnik made an effort to maintain his façade, "Perhaps. I wouldn't know however, since it's a very secret document and I haven't seen it again and I doubt the Instrumentality Committee will let either of us look at it again. And perhaps the pesky hedgehog got wind of this. And that would be why he rose up against us, in a betrayal most foul."

Misato uncrossed her arms and looked pensive to the side.

Robotnik straightened his glasses, "Perhaps you should talk to him."

She turned away, getting out of his office fast, "I was going to anyway."

After she left, the doctor straightened his red Jacket and his black pants, straightened his glasses and went back to his computer. He started up a new project, bringing up schematics for the NERV base.

"Your outburst was most convenient Sonic. With you incarcerated, I have leverage over you; I can _make_ you help me in my next endeavor." He smirked upon looking again at his screen, to the classified location he had discovered, "It is there that Ikari hid you didn't he, dear Adam?"

(SGE)

Sonic awoke again. The same pain and lack of energy searing through his entire being.

 _It's okay… I can get through this… This field around me gets deactivated, that's all I need to recover my juice and my color._

But it was hard to remain optimistic when trapped in a cage designed specifically to keep him down, to keep him locked up, still and quiet. Though it was only the second day, he was napping constantly, it was hard to move and the grub they were giving him couldn't possibly pass for food. Without his shoes and his two emeralds, he was truly limited to the cage with the constant energy field swirling around it, constantly draining him of Chaos Energy.

So he would do the easiest thing to do. He would nap a lot.

And he was about to fall asleep again when he saw a familiar friendly figure approaching from the other side of the cage, "You're losing the green of your eyes. And the blue of your skin. Is that because of the anti-Chaos Energy field around you?"

Sonic didn't even consider that. But it made sense: he was like a personification of Chaos Energy, if that was drained from him, it made sense he would revert back to how he was when younger. Not making efforts to rise from his lying down position to face her or to shrug like he normally would, he simply smiled at her.

"Think we can talk?"

Still lying down, now he did move his head up to face her. With a brighter smile than before, the best his drained state could muster, he answered "Sure thing Misato."

She approached him two more paces, "Well," She sort out a few files on her hand before sitting in front of him, still on the other side of his cage. "Please, sit up."

Sonic knew he had no choice but to comply. In the current state, NERV could even kill him easily. He made extra effort to move his body drained of Chaos Energy. Whatever the energy field around him was, it was very effective in keeping him locked up, without juice, without the ability to juice and loose. He felt something he never thought he'd feel again, he never wanted to feel again. He felt helpless.

So he did what he _could_ do; he started the conversation "So, what do you wanna talk about, Misato?" he asked weakly.

"I think you know."

He snorted out a weak laugh, "I'm the good guy Misato. One of the best there is. If I see a bad guy, I go right after em'."

"We- NERV is fighting the Angels. Why would you think our commander-"

"He's not fighting the Angels for you or for anybody else! It's only for himself!" Just by speaking clearly and with purpose, Sonic felt drained, but he still continued "He's killing the Angels because they have to be dead for him to initiate Third Impact himself for some reason!"

Misato blinked, and then narrowed her eyes, "Why do you say that? How do you know that?"

"The last Angel, it had two halves. One manipulated space, that's why it absorbed Asuka. The other manipulated time. That's why it absorbed time. Only me and the guys could see it, stop it, exist outside of time. We made time normal again and Asuka killed the space half. And one half couldn't exist without the other."

Sonic stopped to breathe heavily. Being constantly tired was something too alien for him. It was good for giving Misato time to take that all in too.

"That's how we saw the past. How we saw the future. The time half of the Angel showed it to us…"

Misato still seemed stern, "Seems hard to believe-"

"You were the wild party girl in your college days."

Misato blinked.

"Ritsuko's mother killed herself, Ritsuko found her body. Same with Asuka and _her_ mother," Sonic paused. It pained him remembering all of this. "I know, I know: You can say I know snippets of the past because someone told me, but that's not it I swear: The Angel showed it to me! To us!"

Misato crossed her arms, then her legs. The things Sonic said seemed to affect her thankfully. "Alright then. Tell me."

Sonic blinked.

"Tell me the future you saw. What you saw the commander doing, everything that happened."

Sonic sighed, and then he tiredly shook his head, "I don't understand a lot of what I saw and of what Silver told me. He's the one who saw the future. And it was also only snippets. I don't think I'd even be able to answer some of your questions…"

Misato shrugged from the other side of the thick glass, "All of this is happening while one of my pilots, my ward, is stuck inside her Evangelion. Things are pretty insane already." She looked him in the eye, "Try me."

(SGE)

This cage was affecting him in a very effective manner. His eyes were losing the bright green aspect and were now blacker and the blue of his skin seemed lighter. The white giant thing in Terminal Dogma was not Adam, it was something else that Sonic didn't know what real Adam is a small embryo that can be used with the white giant thing in Terminal Dogma to cause Third Impact after the last Angel is dead. Rei and the white giant thing are somehow connected. So connected in fact, that the commander just touched her instead of the white giant.

And most importantly: Third Impact happens eventually, caused by humans and not by an Angel.

Those were the main bullet points of information Misato managed to organize in her head when she was done interviewing the weakened blue Hedgehog in the glass cage in front of her. Among a few other that she found rather disturbing, mostly involving Shinji and how her relation with him evolved. She told herself that none of that could possibly be true. That all the information Sonic had come across in form of a vision was just what the 'time half' of the Angel showed him just to mess with him. It probably didn't count, was probably a trick or something like that.

But then there was Mephiles and what Shinji had said about him, what Mephiles said to him before bringing him back to HQ; Mephiles also thought the commander wanted the world to end. These got dammed coincidences were making Misato sick to her stomach, and not just because they all pointed to the same appalling horrible fact; people, human beings, wanted to cause Third Impact. Was that fact true or not Misato wondered. A wonder that was already nagging the back of her head since she saw the white giant in Terminal Dogma with Kaji, Shadow and Silver.

Still, Misato struggled to remain rational, "Look Sonic, I'm trying to understand you here. Really I am, but you have to give me at least _something_ that makes sense. Why did you suddenly scream all that about the commander? If it wasn't for Section 02 taking you down-"

"HELLLOOOO?! Did you not HEAR-" He breathed, this special cage obviously keeping him downed, then continued where he stopped, " _anything_ I just said?!" Painfully and with a lot of struggle, he got up, "Your commander WANTS the world to end!" He pointed his right index finger at her, "You're working for the bad guy!"

He fell back down, still breathing hard, still very tired. Misato felt sorry for him but her inner struggle still telling her everything she was told here wasn't possible. It HAD to be impossible, "Why would the commander WANT the world to end?"

That finally paused him, he stopped struggling to get up again, "That… I don't know. But he _does!_ "

Misato narrowed her eyes.

His face crumbled into a desperate grimace, very unlike him, very unlike his usually bright face, making the fact he was losing his color more prominent, "Misato, please! You're NOT one of the bad guys! I can tell that, but you ARE working for one! You HAVE to believe me!"

Misato sighed, "I'm sorry Sonic, I can't. At least not yet. I'll look into… some things, I'll look into what you're saying. But I'm afraid you're gonna have to stay there for now."

Now she got up to walk away. Doing so was a lot more painful than she first thought just because of how t he little battered humanoid creature appeared crushed because of it.

(SGE)

"Please give me good news, Ritsuko."

Ritsuko didn't turn away from the computer screen she was working on to look at Misato, "Kyoko Sohryu, Asuka's mother, left instructions in case this happened, because of what happened to Yui Ikari. A sort of instruction manual for a 'just in case' scenario. So the programs that would probably take me a whole month to set up if this had happened to Unit 01, and even longer with Unit 00, took me only two days to set this operation up. It was already mostly complete because of Doctor Sohryu's work."

"So you can really bring Asuka back?"

"This _should._ "

Misato sighed, "Explain again how Asuka is still alive inside there? Could you maybe dumb it down for me too?"

Still working, Ritsuko answered "The high sync ratio reduced Asuka's body and soul, everything that composes her, into a mass similar to the primordial ocean of life. Everything that made Asuka who she was is still inside Unit 02's entry plug."

"And you can 'salvage' her? Bring her back the way she was?"

"This operation _should_ do that."

Ritsuko heard Misato fume, "Ritsuko, you and your mother built these things and that's the best answer you can give me?!"

"I am working on this Misato."

Misato's response sigh was pure heat and she started pacing as she normally would in a difficult situation where she could do nothing but wait. Ritsuko was still super focused on her work but eventually Misato's nervous pacing got to her.

She sighed, "You should take care of another detail."

Misato turned to look at her again, "What other detail?"

Ritsuko pointed in the direction of Unit 02's observation deck, "Guess who is still on base, crashed in one of the base bunks and is STILL watching over Unit 02 since yesterday?"

(SGE)

Shinji wished the constriction in his chest that he currently felt could just be fought off somehow. Or at least alleviated. For the past two days he did nothing but observe the stoic and still Unit 02. Watching the red behemoth for the countless second did nothing to calm his nerves or improve his face.

"Shinji-kun."

He didn't turn to face his guardian. He didn't want to face anyone right now.

"Shinji-kun, Ritsuko told me you haven't been to School. If what she told me is true you weren't even at home yesterday, were you?"

"You didn't come home either."

"That's different, I work here. I have to pull one nighters now and then."

Shinji simply crossed his arms and looked away.

Misato sighed, "Shinji-kun, this… this isn't healthy."

This hesitant way of speaking was very unlike Misato but Shinji didn't blame her. What could she possibly say to make him leave this place, praying for the girl he loved to come back? Even if she did, he could just confess that he and Asuka were a couple, if Misato didn't know already.

"Look Shinji, I… I know you're worried, but just standing here won't help anything."

"There's nothing else to do, Misato…"

Misato gulped, Shinji could feel the worry on her face, "Come now Shinji, there's… you know… your school work? Things at the house are probably getting messy too. You know how bad me and Penpen are at that sort of stuff right?" And now he could feel the usual teasing smile as she finished her request.

But his feelings were undeterred; there was no way he was getting out of there, "Misato, please I… I love her," To the point he broke his promise to Asuka, he broke rule number two of the relationship, "I need to be here."

Misato seemed surprised when he said 'loved' and then she sighed, "Shinji, this… this thing might…" And again, totally unlike Misato, she was hesitating in telling him something. Was she trying to say this operation might fail? "I'm just trying to protect you, okay? You really shouldn't be here for this."

He shut his eyes tight, gathered all of his courage and finally shook head, "I'm not leaving her Misato. Whichever way this… thing doctor Akagi is doing goes, I'll be here."

"You should be on standby near your Eva cage if you're going to be on base and not doing anything else."

That voice Shinji hadn't heard and pretty much avoided hearing since the anniversary of his mother's death froze him in place. He turned to see his father walking up to their area. He gulped when he was up close.

"Well?" The question came as stoic as always.

Shinji hesitated, but turned to face his father, though he still felt and probably also appeared kind of wilted, "I'm not leaving Asuka's side, father."

"What foolishness. She is not here currently."

No longer wilted, Shinji narrowed his eyes, "Doctor Akagi will bring her back."

Gendo's face became even sterner, "This kind of game doesn't-"

"Game?!" Downplaying his feelings for his girlfriend, calling it a game, actually irked Shinji, even if the target was his father, "What would _you_ be doing right now if it was my mother inside that thing?!" He finished the question pointing to Unit 02's head.

His father was as surprised as his stoic face could show, slightly widened eyes behind the dark glasses. His face remained neutral and he straightened his glasses, "Major."

Misato snapped her head to him, "Sir?"

"Oversee the salvage operation," he turned to leave, "I have other matters to attend to. Carry on."

(SGE)

Fast food breakfast just wasn't the same without their guest to compliment the chilidogs and tell them about his recent shenanigans. Whether it was talking about how he stopped the latest Angel or the zombie apocalypse, Kensuke had grown accustomed with the blue hedgehog being there with him and his father whenever he could. It was rare since he was officially recruited by NERV but it was something Kensuke thoroughly enjoyed. Couple that with what his father told him about Sonic, about what he did and what happened to him, breakfast had an awkward atmosphere with imminent explosion.

"This is just unfair, dad!" And of course it was Kensuke that exploded first, "Unfair AND it doesn't make any sense!"

His father sighed, "Kensuke, the little blue guy attacked my boss, the commander of NERV."

"That's the part that doesn't make any sense! The unfairness bit is how he is being kept in prison!"

"That's what happens to wrong doers: Prison."

Kensuke shook his head vigorously, "He's _not_ the bad guy!"

"So you're saying my boss is?" his father made a dismissive gesture, "You mustn't concern yourself with things like these. Go to school, get good grades. I'm going to work," He finished the sentence standing up, leaving the breakfast half eaten.

"Going early, huh? Are you going to be working late again too?"

He nodded, "We have a… peculiar operation with Unit 02 today."

Kensuke blinked, "Is that why Asuka and Shinji weren't at school yesterday and the day before? They won't be there again today?"

"You can check it yourself when you go."

And Kensuke's day went on normally but he still had the same nagging feeling of uneasiness the whole way to school, during the meeting with Toji and during the first classes. Of course Asuka and Shinji weren't there and of course he wasn't listening to the classes.

 _Just the thought Sonic won't come home again…_

He thought back to when the little blue guy fell on the pool of his building. How they became fast friends after that, how they still hung out even after NERV and his father discovered Sonic and where he was staying. It just filled Kensuke with dread to think his slider friend was being kept in a cage for saying whatever it was he said about Shinji's dad. He wouldn't even be here right now seeing as there was information to uncover about warships coming from USA this time around and though he _was_ curious about what they were carrying to Japan, he couldn't find in himself to be excited about it.

 _A whole fleet is being prepared to cross the ocean, probably to come here… There could be a third Evangelion Unit coming to Japan… I could ask Misato-san to be the pilot…_

…

 _I can't even get excited about that. I can't stop thinking about Sonic… taking him in was hands down the coolest thing to happen to me, and now he's gone… I never even said goodbye…_

…

 _I can ask Shinji what happened when he comes to school again…_

And that was the last thought to cross his mind when something very unexpected happened; the PA system of the school ringed and spoke:

"First Year student Kensuke Aida, please report to the principal's office. I repeat, Kensuke Aida to the principal's office."

Every head in his class except for Ayanami turned to him, with the same dumb folded look that was on Toji's face, probably the same look on his face as well.

"The geekiest guy in class called to the Principal's office? What the hell man?" Toji whispered as he got up to leave.

Kensuke shrugged and whispered back "I have no idea what I did either," as he left, a few eyes still accompanying him as he left the room and went towards his fate.

(SGE)

Shinji couldn't believe that he could do nothing. He couldn't do anything. Not a damn thing. It was not possible that he could do nothing. The one thing he truly had the one girl he opened himself to without any kind of difficulty, the girl that was there for him when his father forsake him for the second time, when he found out why he was forsaken in the first place. The girl he had been intimate with. The girl he loved.

And now she was gone.

Of course he didn't understand any of the techno babble being spoken and executed as the so called 'salvage operation' began. Every technician under the tutelage of doctor Akagi was shuffling around, doing as they were told, at least as far as Shinji could tell. And as the most important moment came, it still crumbled to the red haze he was seeing all around, he still hear stuff like 'border limits have been surpassed' and 'failed to contain Sync reflux' among other ominous sounding stuff that he didn't get.

He also heard Misato asking the question he couldn't bring himself to, "What does it all mean?!"

He even heard doctor Akagi answering as he already knew but refused to believe, "It means… we've failed…"

Yet, he still refused to believe it all even when Ibuki-san yelled something like 'ejecting', he refused to believe when Unit 02 bleeped and made the sounds he knew so well, the roaring engines and plate opening of the entry plug opening. All of it didn't seem real to him, not even the LCL being spat out by the hundreds of liters, he wasn't really processing any of it.

Not until he saw the empty red plugsuit being washed away and fall lifelessly on the same catwalk he was, the one right in front of Unit 02.

Nothing else mattered anymore. Not the people approaching, not the confusion and distant yelling, not his new life that had started here in Tokyo-03, not the friends he made or the courage he had managed to gather. All that mattered was the same barb wire that was once again enveloping his heart, same as when he found out his father hated him. The same chest lacing pain as if he was broken beyond repair when the finality of that empty plugsuit and what it meant hit him.

Asuka was gone.

Clutching the red plugsuit, all that was left of the girl he loved, he yelled out among tears of despair, "What good are all of you?! What good is all of your science, all of this, IF YOU CAN'T SAVE ONE LIFE?!"

He actually felt bemused as all of these actions from his part happened almost without his knowledge, as if he was looking at it all through someone else's eyes. All that really mattered, all that he was really processing now was his pain. He felt people approaching him but they, their closeness also didn't matter.

In fact he responded that closeness the only way he could: He screamed "Give Asuka back! GIVE HER BACK TO MEEEE!" He wailed out, now crying openly and hysterically as he held the plugsuit tightly against himself.

Then he heard a loud thud that made him snap his head towards the area ahead, right in front of the chest sphere of Unit 02. There lay the naked body he was proud to say he recognized, and happy to see. Seeing that made him instantly forget all the dark shroud that was involving him just a short while ago, made the barbwire enveloping his heart disappear as if it was never there in the first place and made him get up, discarding the empty red plugsuit, shaking as he moved closer, to actually confirm it was her.

And it was. It really was Asuka.

As he ran towards the unconscious form of the redhead he loved, he was doing something he was thinking he'd never do again just a short moment ago; he smiled a smile he thought would break his face, "Asuka! Oh Asuka thank god!"

It was a miracle he didn't bother trying to understand and, surprisingly, the fact he was now hugging an unconscious naked girl in front of a lot of people, including the queen of teasing Misato, didn't bother him either.

(SGE)

"So I'm going to work," her smile went full teasing mode on him, "You two love birds behave yourselves."

Asuka's cheeks became pink while Shinji just became red as a tomato.

Still in teasing mode, Misato closed her eyes and put one index finger up, "I mean it. Just because you two got the day off with Asuka just back from inside the Eva and NERV's medical ward doesn't mean you get to-"

"MISATO!" Asuka's red face turned to the side as she cut the guardian off, and then she addressed the boy beside her, "Have I mentioned how grateful I am that you told pretty much everybody at NERV your undying love for me, stupid Shinji?"

"I-I thought you were gone, Asuka!" Answered a nervous Shinji, "I thought Unit 02 had taken you forever! That the last plugsuit you wore was all that was left of you! I panicked!"

Oh how Misato wanted to stay home as well and just tease these two to death. But duty of the last few crazy days called, "Well, kids, I'm off."

She got up and Asuka stopped her, "The hedgehogs really said…" she hesitated to look at Shinji then back at Misato.

"You kids don't concern yourselves with that. We'll handle it," She reached for her door "I'm going."

"Safe trip," Shinji answered weakly.

The drive to work was a haze. Misato knew she was about to face a true hassle and her feeling didn't change the whole way, not even in the descent to the Geofront. To the point she ignored everything as she made her way to 'paper work hell', even the usual compliments and greetings from Hyuga and others.

However Misato was actually glad she could finally sit down and catch up on her paper work. This WAS a hassle but it was actually nice to do something calming and that didn't require quick thinking, stress and all of the nice things that existed in battle. Hell she even managed to stop thinking about the thing in Terminal Dogma and how it would be used, if it would be used and by whom. She even managed to stop thinking about Sonic. In other words, the Angel had been defeated and he wards were safe, so she was actually focused on her paper work for once.

So focused that she didn't even hear her oldest friend approaching her back, even though she didn't manage to actually startle her, "Misato there was something I needed to tell you."

Misato nodded, anticipating where this was going, "You don't have to apologize for anything, Ritsuko. Asuka is safe. Plus these past few days were just crazy."

"It's not that," She shook her head slightly and handed Misato a report on a clipboard, "While the salvage operation for Asuka was being set up, the report from the Marduk institute arrived…"

Misato blinked, and then widened her eyes, "We know who the Fourth Child is?"

Ritsuko nodded, "I even sent a representative to talk to him in his school already."

Misato blinked but got the clipboard Ritsuko was holding, "See Rits; just crazy. Everything happened at once and something like this went unnoticed," She shook her head, "I really wish I could go home, rest, tease Shinji and Asuka a bit, since Shinji spilled the beans about both of them. But the amount of work to do here is still nuts," she spoke as she read the report, "Hell, these past couple of days were crazy and I gotta catch up on… on…" She trailed off when looking at the same report, "Ritsuko, is… is this accurate?!"

Ritsuko nodded, "I'm afraid it is…"

Both women stood there in silence. Misato viewed the second sheet, the one that had the picture of the person to be the fourth child. Seconds of uncomfortable silence passed.

Ritsuko cautiously broke it, "You wish to keep this from Shinji?"

Misato nodded, "I think that would be best. At least for now. Kid almost lost his girlfriend yesterday, this…"

Ritsuko nodded as Misato trailed off. Both women returned to work.

(SGE)

Asuka was amazed at how good Shinji had become at lavishing her. This was like, the second time they had hooked up, completely ignoring their ward's words at that, and she was so completely blissed out she couldn't believe it.

 _That thing he did, I mean…_

She felt her cheeks flush as she got out of the shower, memory of her time with him still fresh. But her thoughts were directed someplace else when she saw her boyfriend at the living room desk, staring at and with both his palms pointing at the center of it, as if focusing on something.

She ignored that and couldn't stop the smile that blossomed in her face, "Hey stupid," her insult was dripping with honey.

He looked at her and smiled, "Hey beautiful."

Still smiling, Asuka blinked, "Affectionate nickname now?" She went to the kitchen, to the fridge.

"You want me to call you something mean like you do to me? I probably can't make an insult sound loving like you can," He answered from the living room, still sitting.

She laughed as she popped open the soda can she got, "Of course you can't, and I'd knock you unconscious if you ever insulted me."

She took a swig, appreciating the sweetness of the drink a lot more than usual as he answered, "There you go, see? I couldn't treat as you treat me. I guess I can just treat you well." She noticed he was blushing, scratching his cheek with one finger.

Asuka rolled her eyes, thinking he was more shy than perverted, "What we just did wasn't to show just you that I was still alive, idiot. It was for me too,"

He blinked.

"I exist again idiot," She laughed, "Simply existing again, having a body again…" She put the hand not holding the soda on her waist, "Feels too good. I'm almost afraid it's a dream…"

"Body again?"

"Yeah. I… could tell I didn't have a body…"

He focused on her, understanding immediately what she was talking about, "Asuka…"

She waved dismissively, sipping her soda again, "I don't know how I could tell but… I could. It was mostly dream like in there. I don't remember much but…"

"But what?"

"I definitely saw my mother…"

The sentence trailed off into a whisper. Her eyes stung in a way they hadn't for years as she looked down. She didn't notice it was actually already happening until she shut her eyes tight.

 _No! What's happening?! What are you doing?! You promised you'd never-_

But Shinji getting up to embrace her, something about the way he held her made her whole again but for some reason that didn't stop her tears. Her eyes that shot open when he hugged her were moist and then…

"It's okay Asuka."

…went straight to water works when she heard him saying that to her. She sobbed. She actually sobbed. She was thinking of her mother, of Unit 02, of how they were connected, of snippets of memory of her time absorbed and finally to the time she spent with Shinji, how they met and got together. She just let the tears run for some time while Shinji held her.

"Mine died when I was four. I don't remember her…"

She understood immediately that he was talking about his mother. He let go a little to look her in the eye. She said nothing, just staring back at him.

So he spoke again, "How about you?"

She looked away from him for some reason, "She… she took her own life…"

His eyebrows shot up, "I… I'm sorry Asuka…" he hugged her close again.

There was a moment of silence after he said it. Asuka always thought she'd hate getting pity like this, but this was different. They just shared their pain and there was no need for one to pity the other. It was natural, almost beautiful.

"I still love you."

She finally smiled again, "I know stupid, you've said it already," She wiped her eyes with both hands, "Ugh, I promised myself I'd never do this again…"

He blinked, staring at her with a neutral expression again.

"What?"

"You… shouldn't _not_ cry, Asuka."

She rose one eyebrow, "Excuse me?"

"Laugh when you're happy, cry when you're sad. You hold your emotions back, eventually you'll lose track of them. They'll make you… implode inside…"

She blinked…

 _Is he… what is he talking about? Has he ever… "imploded" inside?_

…but then she laughed. _Nah, that can't be it._

"Okay, stop this before I punch you for being so sappy."

Shinji just smiled happily at her.

Her smile broadened and she said matter-of-factly, "I will also have you know that I AM happy. Very happy in fact because I defeated the Angel and I will do the same to all others so…" She shrugged then smugly told him, "Plus I reached a sync ratio neither you nor Wonder Girl will _ever_ match. Drink?" She finished, sitting down on the table with him, offering him her half drunken soda.

Shinji refused it with a gesture, making her take another sip, then he said, "Check this out…"

His hands once again, turned so both his palms were pointing at the center of the table, as if focusing on something. Asuka blinked and was about to call him weird or something but…

FLASH!

…there was a small purple flash of light that, oddly enough, didn't blind her or even though it was a powerful and pretty flash of light. The very next instant, there was a Chaos Emerald like one of the ones the Mobians were using it, except this one was purple. Shinji took it in his hand and smiled at her.

Asuka blinked. Her mouth hung open and she was about to take another sip of her soda…

"Chaos Beam!"

…but she widened her eyes and sputtered the liquid out, some of her soda making a stream down her chin, that she wiped quickly, still wide eyed at the damage that happened in the table they were sitting at, as the purple jewel Shinji held made a laser like beam, a small but potent one that still burned the table slightly. Shinji smiled again at her, proudly holding the purple gem.

"That's not all. Look," Now he put both hands on the purple Chaos Emerald instead of pointing it to the table and seemed to focus on it, "Chaos Control!"

In another flash of purple light, bigger and brighter than the one when the emerald flashed into existence, this one enveloped his entire body. Shinji was no longer there when the light died down.

Asuka blinked, "Stupid Shinji?" She looked around the apartment.

Shinji stepped out of his room, bouncing the purple gem in his hand and a smug smile on his face.

Asuka scowled at him grunting, "Show off…"

Shinji grinned scratching the back of the head with the hand not holding the purple jewel, "That was the teaching of… well…"

Asuka finished the sentence for him, "So Mephiles taught you how to use a Chaos Emerald."

Shinji blinked then smiled again, "Yeah, it's nuts…" He stared at the purple jewel.

She didn't say anything as he made his way back to the table to sit in front of her, his face going from smiling to dejected as he did.

"Although… now I got a bigger problem…"

Asuka blinked, "What bigger problem?"

"What do you suppose Mephiles, the mobian… _personification of mortality_ does to people who lie to his face?"

Asuka narrowed her eyes and then approached him, "Nothing good, I guess. What'd you say to him?"

"That I was going to kill my father…"

She sipped her soda as the engines in her head turned. It was easy enough to put two and two together, "So… like the other hedgehogs, Mephiles also thinks your dad _wants_ Third Impact to happen?"

He nodded weakly, "Yeah…"

Asuka looked to the side. Her own mind was working horrors of what a person had to be in order to want something like the Armageddon. Shinji must have been thinking things along the same lines judging by his face and the short awkward silence that followed.

Short because he broke it before it stretched, "But… I mean, of course he'd say that."

Asuka blinked, "Why?"

Shinji shrugged, "He works for Solaris. Solaris the… dimension eating entity."

Asuka frowned, "Didn't he also say it was against his will?"

"Yeah well, we should take his… 'sob story' with, you know, a lot of skepticism. He is _Death_ …"

"Exactly: He's Death. Think of this from his perspective. _Why_ would he lie about something like this?"

Shinji stared at her in utter disbelief, "Asuka… seriously?!"

Though she was slightly surprised at her boyfriend's small outburst, Asuka just shrugged, "I'm just saying…"

Shinji gasped, and stuttered between gasps, "Well… don't…! I mean… I don't like- I don't get along with him, he hates me, but that's because I remind him his wife is dead! He's still my father! Still a person! And you say he'd _want the world to end_?!"

Asuka sighed, "Look Shinji… I know that you and your dad are _nothing_ alike. And that the freaking… 'mobian incarnation of mortality' is not exactly trustworthy, but…"

When she couldn't finish her sentence, Shinji inquired, "But what?"

Asuka looked at him seriously, as serious as she ever looked at him, "You know what's at stake here is bigger than you and me and anything else we know right?"

Shinji hesitated but nodded.

"Is it really so inconceivable that the ambition of the people behind all this is also bigger than you and me and anything else we know? How much have we come across that we don't understand? Hell I can't figure out one of our fellow pilots!"

Yes, it bugged Asuka how she couldn't look at Wonder Girl and NOT be puzzled out. And right now, as much as it was hard for her to admit this as well, they had to be ready against anything, being ready and on edge was part of her being, always ready to fight off monsters. Of course she'd be ready if her boss was also one of the monsters. So she looked Shinji in the eye and concluded her speech with a question.

"So, what are you really afraid of, Shinji? Losing this war against the monsters… or being the son of one?"

"…"


	9. Breakout

Disclaimer: Evangelion belongs to Gainax, Sonic belongs to Sega.

Thoughts of gratitude: Big thank you goes to GamerJay for beta reading.

 **Chapter 9:** _ **Breakout**_

NERV debrief room, with the lights out to emphasize the presentation being given always was something that innerved Maya, and she gulped at the image of showing a circle of at 89 kilometers of diameter that was now a Dirac Sea, or ocean to be more accurate, since this was so much bigger than what the last Angel produced. An explosion engulfed the entirety of the second branch of NERV USA in Nevada. The mere thought that all 2000 poor souls that were there were now gone was alleviated only by the fact they probably didn't feel any pain upon death. She stated all of that, to what Major Katsuragi mumbled something like 'how horrible'.

Her mentor continued her report after Maya was done explaining the few seconds of satellite imagery, "That is a Dirac Ocean, similar to what the last Angel produced."

"The accident occurred at the time of the installation of the experimental S2 engine," stated Aoba.

Maya spoke again, "Data is inconclusive but it was probably something in the initial design."

Misato groaned, "First the craziness of the last Angel and now this. Was it sabotage?"

Hyuga answered her, "This wasn't an explosion per say. The area just disappeared."

Ritsuko straightened her glasses, "Swallowed by the Dirac Ocean, just like Unit 02."

(SGE)

Misato observed the backs of the two women in front of her in the escalator. It was funny seeing how Maya and Ritsuko sort of glued to one another, no matter the situation, even after something so heavy handed and even if it was just to stand silently by one another's side, going down the escalator. It was also funny how it was still weird seeing Ritsuko with loose clothes under the lab coat, spiky hair and glasses, and how she never told Misato _why_ she changed her look a couple of months ago, shortly after Shadow the Hedgehog arrived, and how she could now be cozy and comfortable with Maya.

 _They're actually holding hands as we go down the escalator stairs…_

…

 _Stupid Kaji rarely calls, doesn't make a position or a stand with me. Why the hell do I let this bother-?_

"We're about to receive Unit 03," Ritsuko interrupted her inner thoughts, half looking at her, still holding Maya's hand

Maya nodded, "The US administration didn't lose the First branch."

"They insisted on the right to build Units 03 and 04 but now they push us to accept it," Misato narrowed her eyes to the left, "They're pushing their luck."

"After such a tragedy, anyone would lose their courage to keep the Evangelion around."

"We'll activate it using…" Misato hesitated, looking to the right, "Using the Fourth Child?"

To that, Ritsuko had no answer. Misato wasn't sure if it was because she hadn't decided yet or couldn't bring herself to answer.

(SGE)

Ritsuko was proud of herself. Maybe it was happening because Maya had been so understanding and forgiving with the whole Asuka situation but she was very proud of herself nonetheless. He was right in front of her, before yet another ungodly abomination: the final product of the Dummy Plug system. And yet, she was no longer intimidated by the bastard. She actually had felt more nervous in the conversation she had with Misato a short while ago. Of course her face was still impassive and all business like. She didn't even flinch when he spoke again.

"Transport of the Unit was left entirely to the UN" Gendo straightened his glasses. "It will arrive this weekend. Then you'll have work to do."

Ritsuko nodded, "Yes sir. The adjustment and activation test will be done in Matsushiro. And the appointed Fourth Child will be present as well."

He nodded slightly, "The Dummy Plug is still dangerous for test runs. I understand."

Ritsuko nodded and walked away, leaving Ikari and Rei there. She smiled at how until recently she'd allow him to humiliate her more, maybe by tending to the girl inside the tube in his stead, but she now she couldn't get to Maya fast enough. "The core for the Fourth Child will be ready immediately."

"I'll leave it to you," he said to her rescinding back. Ritsuko was still smiling. Especially at how it didn't bother her how he asked Rei out to lunch. She just couldn't get back to Maya fast enough.

(SGE)

Gendo straightened his glasses, again totally impervious to the taunting and nervousness of the monoliths floating in the dark, "Gentlemen, you are heightening the intensity of this event," the mouth behind his interlaced fingers made a small smile, "All we need to complete our sacred work is in this installation and it still stands strong."

SEELE 04 audibly groaned before retorting "Do not belittle what happened, Ikari. The loss of the second branch and of an Evangelion Unit that could possibly move about indefinitely are _not_ negligible losses."

"Not to mention the mobians having knowledge of our plans," said SEELE 05, "Robotnik knew nothing of it and we've no reason to doubt that, so the Angel probably really did show the hedgehogs things it shouldn't have."

"Irrelevant," Commander Ikari kept his statue like posture, "The accusations will seem ludicrous to anyone. They can't do anything to us even if they go to the media, regardless of the fact the media already knows about them."

Now SEELE 02 boomed, "What about the fact your tactical director is also aware of our position, even if she can't prove it? She also denied us access to the Second Child."

"You interviewed Major Katsuragi yourselves before this whole situation with NERV US began, gentlemen. If you felt so strongly about it, you should have pressed further on this issue with her."

"Do not test us Ikari," Now it was SEELE 01's turn to speak, ever so calmly, "On to the most pressing matters. What about the Fourth Child, the Dummy Plug and Unit 03?"

"That is all taken care of. The UN is handling transportation for the Evangelion this weekend. The pilot will be used with the Dummy Plug as a reserve in our installations in Matsushiro."

"Make sure your science division divulges the schematics for the Dummy Plug. Construction of the Mass Produced Evangelions will begin soon and we'll need those."

Now Gendo simply nodded as the monoliths faded out of existence.

Moment of silence. Not even the breathing of the two old men left could be heard. But then he surprised Fuyutsuki, "Thoughts?"

Fuyutsuki cleared his throat, "They barely mentioned Robotnik at all, clearly and with good reason more worried with the hedgehogs."

Gendo leaned back, anyone other than Fuyutsuki wouldn't have perceived his nod, "It's true, Robotnik might move against us soon. But there is only one thing he can do against us."

Engines turned inside Fuyutsuki's head, "You think he knows where… _it_ is?"

"He has the intelligence and the recourses to find out, so probably. But I can take counter measures for that."

Fuyutsuki actually felt his stomach turn. Even with how thoroughly he had dammed himself, surely this man was way worse.

(SGE)

Shinji was glad to be back at school life. Going the first half of the way holding hands with Asuka, letting go after meeting Toji and Kensuke on the way to school like always and arriving at school like always seemed like a very good ordeal after the last few days. Days that were totally insane, filled with information and events he didn't need. He was so glad for some normalcy again that he didn't even notice how happier than usual Kensuke was until Toji commented on it. It even happened that Kensuke went to the principal's office in Shinji's absence. Strangely enough, all Kensuke said about it was that 'it was classified, but had a very good reason to be happy and would gloat about it soon'. Shinji didn't get it and Toji just shrugged.

And now that Shinji had settled into 'routine mode' again, he wasn't really paying attention to the teacher and was paying attention to the one reminder he still had of the past crazy few days, of his encounter with death.

 _You're going to end your father's life._

 _So, what are you really afraid of here, Shinji? Losing this war against the monsters… or being the son of one?_

Mephiles' and Asuka's words echoed in his mind as he gazed down the bright purple under his desk and felt the smooth graphite like surface of the Chaos Emerald he had. The same emerald he told no one except Asuka about, not even Misato. Those were probably the reasons why he was more startled than usual when the teacher called his name, apparently for the second time.

"I said Ikari Shinji."

He abruptly placed the gem back down under the desk and stood up almost knocking the desk down, "Y-yes!"

The teacher's beady eyes seemed weirded out at how he unusually didn't hear and answer the first time and how he made his answer hastily, more like Toji would.

"I was distracted, sorry," Shinji said reflexively.

The old teacher waved dismissively, "Don't worry about it, just take Ayanami's printouts to her later."

"Yes sir."

(SGE)

In Toji's mind, there was no better time in school life than lunch time. But he did manage to notice Kensuke was just as happy.

"What the hell are you so happy about?"

Kensuke was still humming happily as he ate, "Really wish I could tell you guys but it's classified. Even for you Shinji."

The third boy with them blinked and spoke for the first time, "Why the focus on me?"

Kensuke smiled wider, "Ah, Shinji, let's just say I look forward to working with NERV."

Shinji gave him a dismissive smile, "I suppose working there is a good position to strive for."

Toji blinked. _Did Ken just imply he's already working at NERV?_

…

 _Nah that can't be it._

"It's normal for Ayanami to miss school, like today, but how come you missed the last few days?" Toji asked Shinji.

Shinji hesitated, looking to the side, "Something happened to Asuka. Something important; all pilots had to be there."

Toji and Kensuke looked at each other and just shrugged.

"Are you really going to Ayanami's house later on?" Toji asked suddenly.

"No. _I'm_ going in his stead," a fourth female voice said suddenly and all three turned to see Asuka in her usual 'scowling at the three stooges' mode, "Hand over Wonder Girl's printouts, stupid Shinji."

All three boys blinked at the standing red hurricane but it was Shinji that spoke first, "Um, why-"

"I want a chance to talk to her. Besides, you might try to do something perverted if you're ever alone with her."

Toji and Kensuke scowled but Shinji just kept his expression neutral as he collected the printouts to give it to her.

"I assure you Asuka, I would do perverted things only to the girl I love and with her consent."

Kensuke smiled and clapped while Toji cheered, "Atta boy Shin-man!"

Asuka made a humph as she took the printouts.

 _Wait, is… is she blushing? Nah that's not possible…_

Shinji spoke again as she walked away, "Thanks for the help with homework yesterday, Asuka."

"I did it just because you wouldn't be able to make my lunch for today if you were stuck with homework," She answered receding, without looking back.

And once again, Toji could've sworn she was blushing.

(SGE)

"The trick for them is lots of water, see?"

Shinji actually stared at the water streaming down the round big fruits with his full focus. He just sat there on the balls of his feet, crouching on the ground staring at it.

"Anyway, don't tell anyone about this," Kaji looked at him smiling even more as he held the watering can, "These are not the kind of melons I'm supposed to be an expert on."

Shinji actually smiled at the inside joke only guys would get, then felt slightly proud of himself and thankful to Asuka that he actually _did_ get that joke.

"Making or growing something is good!" Kaji sounded elated now, "We see and learn many things through that."

Shinji nodded, "Enjoyable even though it can be painful."

Kaji blinked.

"I used to think the pain wasn't worth it. I'd run from it. I had to see it was an inevitable part of life in order to… enjoy- really start enjoying the things in life."

"That is good. Someone who knows pain is kinder to others."

"What if I don't have to be kind in order to do what I have to do?"

Kaji blinked.

"Can you keep a secret mister Kaji?"

Kaji's smile and even his suave were gone, "I can."

"Asuka is the only one I told this to," there was the usual small purple flash that Shinji was already used to and Kaji actually widened his eyes at the gem that appeared in his hand., "Mephiles gave me this, taught me how to hide it with me. He also said I… I have to…"

"Kill your father?" Kaji was still staring at the Chaos Emerald.

Shinji hesitantly nodded.

"I'll tell you this much Shinji: knowing pain and being kind because of it doesn't make you weak. Quite the opposite in fact. You can do what has to be done."

Shinji narrowed his eyes at his, "Kill my father?"

"What has to be done…"

Then Kaji's phone rang, and he answered it. "Hello?"

There was some time with Kaji listening to whoever called. Shinji was still confused about this entire situation and really wanted a straight answer.

 _What has to be done… And what is that? How should I know?_

"It's Katsuragi," Kaji cut into his thoughts, "There's a sync test."

Shinji willed the Chaos Emerald back into non-existence, blinked, then stared at Kaji again, "Please don't tell anyone I have that on me?"

"I won't."

(SGE)

"You see that Sen- Ritsuko?"

"I see it Maya," she answered her protégée.

"What?" asked Misato

"Shinji's and Asuka's sync ratios have declined."

Misato stayed impassive, back to the wall and arms crossed, "Is it related to the last incident? Shinji interacted with two mobians and Asuka was absorbed by an Angel."

Ritsuko put her hands in her pockets narrowing her eyes, "I can't say. We should be able to detect red pattern or at least recesses of it in Shinji, but there was nothing. So it's probably not that in his case. As for Asuka, I could say it's entirely possible something mental happened in her incident."

Misato looked back through the glass overlooking the test plugs, "It's going to be hard to tell them who the Fourth Child is…"

Maya spoke again, "Ritsuko, how long will Rei stay at home?"

"After the tests and experiments we ran she earned a break. She also still goes to school."

(SGE)

Rei wondered if she should have warned the Section 02 agent currently protecting her. Someone definitely entered her apartment while she was out getting more of the essential supplies she needed. Just more water and gauze, her medicines were provided by NERV and doctor Akagi.

 _Maybe it's pilot Ika- Shinji. But what would Shinji be doing here?_

She closed her own door behind her and almost bumped into Pilot Sohryu.

"FINALLY!" Sohryu snapped at her for some reason, "Where the hell have you been?"

Rei blinked, "I was out getting things I needed. What are you doing here?"

She snorted, "Stupid Shinji- _I_ was told to bring you the school's printouts."

She pointed to her bed. Rei saw an alien stack of papers on top of it. She passed by Pilot Sohryu to check on it and picked up something very peculiar: Shinji's scent.

Rei stared at her, "…"

"I gotta say Wonder Girl, seeing your place made me feel bad about some of the crap I gave you. I'd go insane living like this too."

Rei wondered what did she saw in her room but was still more intrigued by her smell, she kept staring at her.

"Well, I'm off. Get some damn furniture or color in here or… something…?" Now Sohryu seemed to pick up on the fact Rei was looking straight at her.

(SGE)

"What?" Asuka glared at her, not liking the analytical stare Rei was giving her.

Rei surprised her at that point, "You smell like pilot Ikari…"

Asuka widened her eyes and felt the blood drain from her face. She looked away from her, "W-why would I smell like that idiot, Wonder Girl?!"

"I don't know. Why would you?"

Now Asuka glared at her. She still had the same impassive face but seemed to be thinking about something.

Then she gave Asuka a slight nod, "It's you."

Still glaring, Asuka blinked, "What's me?"

"You're the girl he loves. His secret girlfriend. He wouldn't tell me it was you; just that you existed."

Asuka scowled harder and put her hands in her hips, "And how the hell do you know it's me then?"

"I suspected as such for a few days now, but confirmed for sure only now. With your scent."

Asuka hesitated but finally relented, sighing, "Yeah well, don't you go telling anyone either."

"What have you two been doing that you now share his scent?"

Asuka blushed crimson instantaneously, "N-none of your damn business! Why do you care so much anyway?"

Rei blinked, "Pilot Ikari and I are friends. He even said I could call him Shinji." Rei seemed to be looking elsewhere, "I allowed him to call me Rei."

Asuka narrowed her eyes, "Yeah well, don't you get too comfy around him. He's _mine_." She was surprised at herself and her declaration of ownership.

Rei blinked, "Shinji explained me love doesn't have to be romantic in nature."

Asuka smiled, "Oh, you didn't get the love you wanted, First?"

"I just told him how I felt."

Asuka enjoyed this and her smile turned smugly, "And it's not like he'd ever dump me to go to you anyway. Tough luck Wonder Girl."

"…"

She was still enjoying this, "Well it was nice talking to you, First. Goodbye." She left the rundown apartment, making a mental note to keep shooting down even the slightest chances of interactions between her boyfriend and Rei.

(SGE)

Shadow was still sitting there, resting the work he had done on their hideout, making sure not even a spy, a Section 02 agent specifically couldn't find them. Silver on the other hand was still working on the few bits of machinery that they had. Until the moment he used his telekinesis to disassemble one of the pieces and reassembled it almost instantly. He checked it one more time before sighing and going to sit down beside Shadow.

"Well Shadow, it's done. Our communications are encrypted with a telekinetic field of my making and our location scrambled by the devices you installed," He stretched in his sitting position, "You sure this is a smart idea? I was hiding when I arrived but Section 02 finding me wasn't exactly bad. Besides, even though I was hiding, NERV _still_ found me, right before the Angel that fell from the sky."

"You weren't doing a good job at hiding then. Plus you weren't exactly _wanted_ by them either because of information you have."

Silver sighed, "Alright," He laid down, hands behind his quills, "What's our next move then?"

"I'm still thinking about it but we could sneak back into the Geofront when the next Angel attacks."

Silver sat back up and looked at him almost frowning.

Shadow was undeterred, "We don't know how many more Angels there are, how many more battles before Ikari will do… whatever it was he did in the vision we had."

Silver's features softened but he still looked at Shadow worriedly.

"We need to have at least _some_ access to NERV HQ to investigate. If we set our hideout here down in the Geofront, close to HQ we could-"

But Shadow's plan was cut off by their communication unit beeping. Somebody had contacted them.

Shadow blinked and then narrowed his eyes at Silver, "I thought you encrypted our communications."

Silver nodded slightly as he reached for both of his emeralds, "I did. No one should have our number."

Shadow took the hint and grabbed the red and teal Chaos Emeralds as both hedgehogs cautiously went to answer the communicator, ready for any kind of danger storming in from anywhere at a moment's notice.

(SGE)

Kaji knew the Marduk institute was fake. Of course the report he was seeing now was some sort of hoax against either Sonic or against Shinji. Since Sonic was the X factor that came into the equation late in the game, it made more sense to assume this course of action had the intent of cracking Shinji.

 _But this doesn't make any sense. Why would they want to break Shinji? Don't the pilots need to be functional?_

…

 _Has this got something to do with the Human instrumentality?_

"Kaji."

A voice he hadn't heard in a while interrupted his inner thoughts. It was funny how, even though he had apologized and she had done the same, he still turned slowly, cautiously, as if stepping around eggshells with her, "Asuka."

She smiled, in a way he hadn't seen her smile in a long time, "You don't have to be so nervous."

He smiled back, "I'm glad you said that."

Asuka scratched her arm, "I have a boyfriend."

Kaji smiled, "Shinji?"

She blinked, but then smiled and nodded, "I guess I made it obvious. Don't tell anyone."

"My lips are sealed."

Asuka smiled smugly, akin to how they usually acted around each other, "What? Are you gonna tell me you're jealous?"

Kaji laughed, "No. But I missed you girl."

There was a slight reddening of her cheeks, but that was it, she didn't do or say anything else.

"I'm proud of you Asuka. Proud and happy for you too."

She seemed about to say something but then she lost her smile and widened her eyes, scowling.

 _Scowling?_

Kaji blinked and that was all the time Asuka needed; she walked past him and Kaji realized Asuka saw his computer screen, went towards it and was staring at it.

"This… This is a joke right? Please tell me this is a joke!"

Kaji suppressed a sigh, "Asuka…"

"No, no, NO! This is unacceptable! Why is HE the Fourth Child?!

Kaji was about to answer but his phone rang. It was Misato's phone being displayed.

He answered it, "Not a good time Misato."

"You're gonna have to make it a good time," She sounded agitated.

He grinned at the phone, "Are you going to yell at me over the information I hinted to you?"

Misato groaned, "I didn't call about the fact Shinji's class was made of candidates for pilots."

Kaji blinked, Asuka was still paying attention to him, "What is it then?"

"It's Sonic!"

(SGE)

Relief filled him up as he opened his eyes and blinked, actually confused at the sudden recovery.

 _Juice… Oh man I can juice again! What-?!_

Awareness flooded him cutting off any thought. Physical energy, actual disposition to move returned to him in a sudden rush of joy along with satisfaction, along with his capacity to run, to move really fast, oh what a rush! There were no words for this moment, for how he felt right now.

He didn't bother with how or why, how or why didn't matter! The only thing that mattered right now was that the Anti-Chaos energy field was gone and the blue and green Chaos Emeralds were right in front of him. His life had returned to him.

"Here we go!" He picked up the emeralds, one in each hand and was instantaneously out of the room.

"HAH! Try to stop me from stomping the commander… now… goons?"

It was a very anti-climactic when his declaration trailed off and fell flat and he saw the people overlooking his prison already knocked out and only one Egg-bot hovering in the distance, going away from him as if fleeing because it had done its purpose.

Sonic blinked, "That thing…" He frowned as the Egg-bot didn't stop fleeing from him, "That's one of the fifty bot thingies I trashed when I saved Misato from that giant Robot!"

He boosted. Darn it, it felt good to boost again! And with two emeralds this time instead of one no less. Of course he felt invincible. Of course he felt as if he hadn't run faster than sound in ages. Of course he caught the fleeing bot instantaneously, trashing it with merely his speeding form and was disappointed his run was over so quick.

He screeched to a halt to look at what was left of the Egg-bot, and only now it hit him that the green and the blue Chaos Emeralds that were in his possession before were just lying there, as if _given back_ to him. Was that bot responsible for that and for his sudden freedom? Engines turned inside his head and he narrowed his eyes at what was still left of the crushed robot while holding the emeralds closer to him.

"Alright you stupid piece of scrap. It was _too easy_ to catch you and you even had the emeralds for me. By the looks of it you probably released me too. Why?"

The severed 'head' part of the Egg-bot, a sphere shaped indentation with wires and parts coming out, buzzed and came to life; a small screen showing itself, obviously to relay a message. A big red inviting button below it.

"You got anything to say to me?" he asked it as he pressed the button.

(SGE)

The message to Silver and Shadow had been sent, the ways into NERV HQ highlighted in his message to Silver and Shadow were now open and the Egg-bot that would release Sonic was now done.

 _It was easier than I thought. You shouldn't have trusted so much in the myriads of your own installation, Ikari. Or perhaps you were confident the hedgehogs would stay in place, being too small to move against you?_

He laughed, giving the Egg-bot the final touches of the final preparation: Placing Sonic's Chaos Emeralds inside it and getting ready to record the message it would play once the hedgehog pressed the button inside it.

 _I made that mistake once. I stopped underestimating the hedgehog and his friends a long time ago. Especially when aid always seems to come to them._

He scratched his bald head at the irony of that thought.

 _Who would have thought I would be the one aiding them this time around… Well it's not like I haven't before…_

He pressed the record button, and upon seeing himself in the recording screen, Robotnik grinned his signature 'evil grin to taunt the hedgehog', "Dear Hedgehog, I have recorded this message in this Egg-bot, just as I have equipped it with the necessary gizmos to set your useless blue butt free, to be displayed after the Egg-bot is destroyed. Because I know you will destroy it once you're free and the guards keeping you are dealt with. Anyway, if you want to stop Gendo Ikari and to know why I freed you, come meet me in this location."

After that message was done the device would display a map of one of the lower levels of NERV HQ, one of the rooms showing a red mark on it. Exactly where Robotnik was at.

"Well, it's done. With Sonic regaining his freedom by my hand and with Shadow and Silver receiving that message from me yesterday, it's only a matter of time until they come here…"

He paced around the room a little and then took a deep breath, "I must calm myself. They won't hurt me. Not under the current circumstances," He told himself as three of his mortal enemies were heading his way right now and they would be alone together, no bots, not even a vehicle to try to destroy the hedgehogs. This time it really was going to be just talking, just convincing the hedgehogs that between him and Gendo, he was the lesser of the two evils. So he just stood there waiting for them. He did so for about an hour.

But of course his door being busted open startled him none the less, "Eggman!"

He blinked, but then recovered his grin, "That's what I love about you, Sonic. You're always so punctual."

There the blue blur stood in all its glory. Ready for anything Robotnik could throw at him. Robotnik's grin widened, showing his teeth and upturning his mustache.

Sonic narrowed his eyes at the grin, about to say something, but then he looked to the side and some of his determination was replaced by puzzlement, "Shadow? Silver? How'd you guys-? Wait, were you in jail too? Did he release you guys?" He asked the second question pointing at him.

Robotnik grinned, not needing to look the direction outside his office Sonic was looking at to know the other hedgehogs had arrived. Sure enough, Shadow and Silver also appeared at his door, the three hedgehogs entered into his room almost simultaneously.

And there the four of them stood.

Tension. Robotnik could swear he was able to SEE the tension he felt.

He straightened his glasses, doing his best to remain with composure, in control, "You three will listen to what I have to say."

"You know Eggman, I could just plough and stomp spin you and Blackbeard into oblivion instead of hearing you." His quills and spikes erected, hostility emanating from him.

Robotnik gulped but kept his grin and confidence, "Ah, but even with Ikari and I dead, the Angels and SEELE can use the thing I want to end this world, and remake it on their image…"

Silver narrowed his eyes, "You don't want to stop Gendo. You just want to do what he would in the future, after the last Angel is dead."

Robotnik didn't lose his smile, "And you hedgehogs will aid me, for I am a far better option for Godhood then anyone of NERV or SEELE."

The four of them went quiet. Tension. Again palpable. But this time it was Shadow that took the initiative in breaking said tension.

"I must say, Robotnik; when you forced your way into our communication frequency I didn't think what you had in mind was outright betrayal of NERV and whoever your current dark masters are."

Now Robotnik outright laughed, twirling his mustache, "Commander Ikari was never my boss dear Shadow. Nor were the old men of SEELE. Now then," he straightened his dark glasses before looking back to Sonic, never losing the grin, "Will you hear everything I have to say?"

Sonic narrowed his eyes. His response was hanging in the air.


	10. Deep Inside the Dark Bowels

Disclaimer: Evangelion belongs to Gainax, Sonic belongs to Sega.

Thoughts of gratitude: Big thank you goes to GamerJay for beta reading.

 **Chapter 10:** _ **Deep Inside the Dark Bowels**_

 _Oh come on Shinji, REALLY?! I thought you were past this!_

Asuka couldn't believe her boyfriend was hyperventilating again. It was not the first time he did that around her but it was the first time since they started dating.

"Asuka, please tell me," Shinji sucked in a hard intake of air. "Please tell me you're… joking?"

Misato was still glaring at her, "Did you really think this was the best time to do this, Asuka?"

Asuka scowled at her, "Screw you Major whore! If it was up to you or your stupid boyfriend he wouldn't have found out until Kensuke was in the entry plug, ready to pilot."

Misato now seemed angry too, "This was a delicate issue! Look what happened to him because you just told him!" She gestured at Shinji, "Plus I had other matters to attend to!"

Asuka made a rude dismissive gesture, "Yeah, yeah, the hedgehog escaped and Robotnik is missing. Big deal! Like either of them could really do anything against us. You were just making excuses to not tell him."

Misato groaned but seemed to let it go, because she addressed Shinji next, "Shinji-kun…"

Shinji looked away from her; still breathing heavily, still seemed to be processing the fear for his friend Kensuke's safety, processing too many things at once.

Asuka looked at him again, managing her most calming face. "Breathe Shinji," she commanded.

Tears were welling up in his eyes but he finally seemed to calm down.

"Let's go to school. You can talk to Kensuke there."

It was amazing how a usual morning turned sour instantaneously and all it took was Asuka being honest. But at least now her boyfriend could process what has happened and they would move on. So even though Misato was still looking at her with judgmental eyes and Shinji seemed worried the whole way to school, Asuka felt quite proud of herself.

(SGE)

Kensuke was smiling, looking at the bright blue sky. Still happy with himself, still glad to be alive, still disbelieving he was actually chosen for this. There was also some trepidation due to the size of what he was selected to do but that was totally suppressed by the awesomeness of what he was going to be doing. Nothing short of something VERY unusual, like Rei going to talk to him could break his reverie.

"Aida-kun."

And that is exactly what happened. He turned to the source of the voice and waved at her, "Hey Ayanami."

He couldn't help himself, taking advantage of the girl's silence; he grinned and straightened his glasses clearing his throat before continuing.

"Or maybe I should say 'fellow pilot'? Or 'First Child'? You know we are colleagues now right?" He put his fists on his waist, standing proudly.

Rei nodded slightly.

Still grinning, he wiped his nose, "I think Asuka and Shinji must know too then, huh?"

"Shinji doesn't know."

Kensuke blinked. Then he smiled at her again, "Ah. You're worried about Shinji, huh?"

Kensuke could've sworn Rei gasped. She looked down, "Maybe…"

"Don't worry!"

She looked at him again.

"I'll talk to him today! I'm actually loving to gloat about this and I only have the opportunity to do it until I leave for Matsushiro tomorrow! Besides I…"

Kensuke's hesitation didn't go unnoticed by her but all she did was tilt her head at him.

"…I wanna ask him about Sonic too."

(SGE)

The installation in Matsushiro was serviceable in every aspect; they were ready to receive the new Evangelion and Kensuke-kun. It was all good to go but Misato was still frustrated with herself.

 _How easy it was for Asuka to simply_ _tell her boyfriend_ _the truth?_ _I am his guardian damn it! How hard would it have been to simply tell him like Asuka did just as they were leaving for school that morning?!_

Her inner turmoil was accentuated by the fact she was waiting not only for Unit 03, but for _him_ too _._

"Two hours. This is the longest someone has kept me waiting," her face twitched into a scowl.

Ritsuko laughed, "He never left you waiting when you were dating did he?"

"He'll be taking care of Asuka and Shinji while I handle things here," She fumed.

Ritsuko was still smiling. The Eva carrier, flying low with Unit 03 attached into it came into view.

"Finally," Misato muttered.

(SGE)

"So it's… it's really Shinji, huh?" Hikari actually slowed her pacing towards Asuka's home as she asked.

Asuka rolled her eyes. "Yes Hikari. And, I think this goes without saying but," she actually glared at the pigtailed girl. "If you tell this to anyone I'll beat you with a bag of oranges."

Hikari blinked, her expression of shock dissolved into a little laugh, "Okay Asuka I got you."

"So you didn't have anything specific to talk to me about?"

"Well, no, not really. I just wanted to talk to you again. Seemed like we haven't spoken in a while.

Asuka smiled, "I appreciate that, Hikari."

She smiled back, "It's okay Asuka."

"I mean it. You're a good friend. Those are hard to come by."

Both of them tittered.

"So what brought this about?" Asuka asked.

"I was having lunch with Toji when-"

"Yes FINALLY!" Asuka exalted Hikari while also cutting her off.

Hikari blushed, "Um… yeah. It seemed… kinda stupid to worry about the stuff I was worrying about with all that's been happening and after you told me you were dating Ikari-kun."

Asuka smiled, "Well I'm happy for you Hikari."

She smiled back, "I'm happy for you too Asuka," then she blinked at her again, "Why did you want to keep your relationship with Shinji a secret anyway?"

Asuka actually felt her cheeks redden a bit, "Are you kidding me Hikari? Isn't it obvious that it's _embarrassing_?"

Hikari blinked, "But… you actually like him right?"

"Well, yeah."

"So… you're not happy then?"

"That's not it! I am happy. He…" Asuka's mind wandered back to how Shinji was there for her when she remembered her mother and finally cried again, all the other times he was there for her. "I _am_ happy okay?"

Hikari looked worried, "Then what's the problem?"

Asuka hesitated and indicated she needed time to think, to organize her thoughts. Both girls took the hint and walked towards a bench by the sidewalk. When they were both sitting down next to each other, before the setting sun of the marvel city, Asuka gathered her thoughts and her floodgates opened.

"I… for the longest time I told myself I wouldn't rely on anybody. I'd be alone. I'd handle myself, _by myself,_ needing nobody. But then I found that to be… impossible, when I found myself liking someone for the first time."

She had Hikari's full attention.

"He… rejected me… and it hurt. It actually hurt a lot," a smile ghosted her features. "Ironically enough, in an unreal coincidence; Shinji was there to pick up the pieces…" she turned serious again, "Here's the thing though, if I wanted to be alone to avoid being hurt by rejection, why did I even get hurt in the first place? Why there even _were_ pieces for Shinji to pick up?"

"I see…"

"…"

"Maybe you could… tell that to Shinji? At least then he'll know why you're keeping him a secret."

Asuka hesitated but smiled at her, "Thanks Hikari."

The talk then shifted to Hikari's boyfriend, Toji. Asuka was surprised they had kissed already, though they didn't do anything else other than kissing but Asuka soon realized this conversation would bore her to tears. Listening to the life of a 'normal' couple like Toji and Hikari was nice but it didn't really meet her excitement standards. But of course she listened to it as Hikari listened to her.

After the talk was done, Asuka stood up from the bench, dusting herself off, "Let's go home."

(SGE)

"Are you asleep yet, Shinji?"

The drowsiness that was starting to settle in fled Shinji the moment Kaji asked the question. He turned to see Kaji's back.

"What is it Kaji-san?"

He turned to face Shinji, "You can call me just Kaji, kid."

"Alright."

They were both just lying there, facing each other.

"Sooo…"

Kaji laughed, "Ah of course, sorry. So you know who the Fourth Child is." It wasn't a question.

Shinji hesitated but nodded, "I actually talked to Kensuke about this. He is happy to be the new pilot even though I was _very worried_ about him. But he was crushed about what happened to Sonic." He hesitated again, "Kaji, do you think that-"

"Don't worry about it," Even in darkness, Shinji saw his grin widen, "I know Robotnik and the hedgehogs have been missing for a couple of days now but they haven't been seen leaving. They're probably still hiding in the Geofront. We'll find them."

"Not what I was going to ask about. Do you think that… what Sonic… said… about my father-?"

"Shinji."

"…?

"The activation test for Unit 03 tomorrow will be _very_ important. Just as the work you, Asuka, Rei and now Kensuke do. You just worry about that, alright?"

Shinji hesitated but said, "School won't be the same without Kensuke… I just know it: Tomorrow everybody will ask about him and I'll have to lie."

"People can't really understand each other. We think we do but that's only something we tell ourselves."

"That may be the case for yours and Misato's relationship, but my friends and I have been talking more than I ever have in my life. Me and Asuka shared stuff I never thought I would, about my mother. Same for her. In fact the only reason I'm not sleeping with her right now is because _you're_ here."

And now Shinji could see the widening eyes of the grown man, and the surprise on his face, again despite the darkness.

"So I need to know if my dad really…" He looked away from Kaji. "I need to understand my father better than I already do. Especially now that…"

"…that you heard he wants to end the world?"

"…"

"See? You can't even begin to worry about that stuff."

"…"

"So just focus on being a good pilot alright?"

Shinji mulled, "I can't understand grownups…"

He turned away from Kaji, closing his eyes again.

(SGE)

Sonic was running at considerable speed towards the goal when his communicator buzzed again

"Now Sonic," the Egghead's voice bugged him again, "Remember; we had to make this believable. You're the one who betrayed NERV, not me. So the Egg-bots will show no restraint in fighting you. Nor will NERV's security agents. Be ready."

Sonic couldn't even bring himself to smile, as he usually would at such an absurd declaration from Robotnik, "Like I' ever use restraint when breaking your toys, Eggman. And I won't hurt anyone from NERV either. They just don't know they're working for a monster."

Now his running became a tremendous dashing as he boosted. He knew he'd have to be careful to not hurt anything made of flesh that happened to be in his way so he refrained from breaking the sound barrier, instead going all through the safe security storage sector really fast.

THUMP, SWOOSH, CRASH!

The only sound that would sometimes echo through the safe security storage would be when he would jump to trash a whole bunch of Egg-bots…

THUMP, SWOOSH!

…or when he would jump to avoid a security guard wielding a machine gun. Sometimes they would even fire but even though Sonic wasn't faster than sound right now it was still too fast for any projectile to hit him.

Only a few minutes passed. Would have been even faster if Sonic didn't have to avoid any humans, but he still arrived at the location Robotnik told him about.

"That must be it."

He said upon looking at a safe like structure that held a very small case behind several layers of protection. Just by looking at it, Sonic could tell…

"…I can't trash this… Not without a lot of juice… Wha-"

ZING!

He quickly dodged a laser that came from another Egg-bot. He glared at it…

SWOOSH, CRASH!

…Before destroying it with a homing attack. He then flicked his wrist communicator back on, so that he could speak now.

"Eggman! I can't recover this without going super, just like you said! Are you really doing something about it?!"

"Ah, good to know you're already there Sonic. Don't worry about time or any extra attention you will receive. Right now most of NERV is focused on the activation test of Evangelion Unit 03. And that will get a lot more complicated than they think. So I should be able to hack that thing open for you soon."

"Alright, alright, what do I do?"

"Wait for me to open the safe. You should see a small case like object, which holds that thing we talked about two days ago. Take it and bring it to me. And by the way…"

"What?"

"I commissioned Ikari a new toy to guard it in case of such a contingency. You can fight it while I open the safe, should be no problem for you."

Sonic groaned as his communicator shut off and a huge Egg-bot appeared before him. Yes a huge Egg-bot. The only thing different about it was the size, being at least four times the size of a normal one, being at least five feet standing, and the colors which were black and grey instead of red and Yellow. Not satisfied with being big, it hovered like the other Egg-bots. Not satisfied with having bigger versions of the weapons the small Egg-bot carried, it also shot laser out of its white round eyes and dropped bombs from its back.

Sonic dodged it all easily, jumping and side stepping and he could tell just by looking at it that this thing had its weak point on the forehead, just like the small Egg-bots.

THUMP, SWOSH!

Sonic's jump and homing attack fell flat as the giant Machine simply hovered out of the way, taking advantage of the fact Sonic had just dodged one of its bombs. As Sonic maneuvered himself in a manner that would actually manage to land a blow on the metallic egg like thing forehead, he couldn't help but remember how he got in this mess in the first place.

 _Two days ago, just after I was released:_

(SGE)

Robotnik straightened his dark glasses before looking back to him, never losing the grin, "Will you hear everything I have to say?"

Sonic narrowed his eyes. His response was hanging in the air.

 _I'm going to regret this…_

"Talk."

Robotnik flashed him his teeth, "There is one asset. An alien asset if you will. I know where it is hidden. You boys get it for me this weekend, and you will have the chance to stop Ikari and SEELE from ending this world."

Sonic narrowed his eyes again, feeling his fellow hedgehogs did the same, "Why would we help you Ro _butt_ nik? For all we know, you want to end this world as well."

"No no no, only Ikari wants that, I assure you. I only want to control it. All the while being a god. This asset I just told you about, it can do that or be used by Ikari to end the world, along with the lovely Miss Ayanami."

"Wait a minute," Silver spoke suddenly, taking a step forward, "Is… the asset you're talking about a… embryo of some kind?"

Even Sonic could tell that actually surprised Robotnik, "Why yes. How do you know?"

He shook his head, "Never mind that." He then made a fist, "We'll do it."

Sonic blinked at him, "Silver! Dude!"

"Sonic, our vision of the future, the bit with Gendo and Rei, shortly after Gendo shot Ritsuko."

It then hit Sonic like a bolt of lightning, just like it hit Shadow. Gendo had something alien in its hand before touching Rei, which started an entire process that wiped out the whole planet, even though Rei rejected him saying she wouldn't be his puppet. Neither of them could see what happened to the people or what they thought at the time and they didn't even know why it happened but it still happened.

He faced Robotnik again, quickly and determined, "We'll do it."

(SGE)

 _And now back at the present I'm doing exactly as the egg headed mustache turd told me: Recover NERV's most valuable asset… It was bad enough having to share a hideout in the Geofront and food with him for two days and now THIS!_

BANG!

He thought as his latest Homing Attack finished opening a hole in the forehead of the giant Egg-bot he was fighting. It whirred and jerked around, its hovering systems damaged, then it flew away as it began sparkling. Sonic recognized those particular sparkles ad took cover, hiding from the damaged incapacitated giant bot.

KABOOOOM!

The dry explosion briefly ringed Sonic's ears. He grimaced, "What is it with Eggman and his 'explode after beaten' toys?"

He came out of cover, ignoring the fiery remains of the boss he just beat and, as if answering his empty question, the safe just ahead of him beeped a few times and hummed a few seconds. Then its 5 sturdy glass and steel doors popped open, one after the other, until it revealed a white case.

Sonic picked it up with one hand and talked to his com unit with the other, "I got the package Eggman."

(SGE)

Silver thought he'd have to come down to the abyssal parts of NERV HQ again, especially considering that was where the strange white crucified giant was but he didn't think that standing there in front of the door waiting would be so tense. He and Shadow were eyeing Robotnik, almost glaring, and that didn't change not even when Sonic told them through coms that he had been successful in recovering Adam.

Robotnik straightened his glasses and his smile became a grin, "You don't have to be this uptight, hedgehogs. This isn't the most ideal situation for me either."

Shadow narrowed his eyes, "Just what is your plan, Doctor?"

Silver nodded, "Yeah, how come you're helping us like this? I know you're making NERV think Sonic is the only one they need to worry about but your concern against Ikari doesn't add up."

Now he looked up from his computer screen to look directly at them, "I'm insulted Silver. I wouldn't destroy a world if there was nothing in it for me."

Silver considered what he just said and it seemed Shadow was doing the same thing, though he was outright glaring at Robotnik.

"S'up dudes."

Sonic arrived, making all three heads turn to him. He had the white case Robotnik mentioned with him.

Robotnik stood up from his computer, hands behind his back, "Excellent work as usual Sonic. Now-"

"Not so fast Robotnik," Sonic halted him with a hand up and the one holding the case to the back, away from the doctor, "I think more explanation is in order. What is your stake on this?"

Robotnik recovered his smile, hands still behind his back, "Funny how your black counterpart over there asked the same thing. Well, I'll say it again; I assure you I wouldn't destroy a world if there was-"

"Nothing in it for you? Yeah, I get that. I know that, you've even helped me save the world a few times before because of that. However," Sonic scowled at him, taking a prominent stand against the red clad fat man as if he had done it a thousand times before, "I know you _would_ destroy a world if you were to gain something from it."

Robotnik took a step back, eyeing the case as if to avoid eyeing Sonic.

"So… Answer me: What is your stake on this?"

Robotnik considered for a moment, but finally sighed and smiled, "Let's take a little ride inside the dark bowels of NERV shall we. There are more things I wanted to see for myself anyway."

(SGE)

Shadow felt every ounce of his entire being warning him of danger, every instinct he had was blaring. He could tell Sonic felt the same. Silver not so much.

 _Here's the thing though: Robotnik gave no indication whatsoever to be leading us into a trap. The whole way from the main hub of Terminal Dogma, he just drove quietly, crossing the great abyss…_

…

 _That makes me curious about one thing._

"Doctor," Shadow's even voice made Robotnik's head turn as did the eyes of the other two hedgehogs, "How did you get you Egg-o-matic vehicle down here?"

Robotnik smiled and continued driving with the hedgehogs flanking him, "Same as I built all the security gadgets across the base, Shadow: I'm a NERV employee with diplomatic immunity. It was easy to move the car I arrived in on this universe to this facility once I had the credentials and the money. The fake banks I made are also still operational."

"And you use a vehicle down here instead of NERV's abyssal escalators to avoid detection, because they can tell if they have been used."

Robotnik smiled at him, "Impressive, Shadow."

Then Sonic rolled his eyes, "Liar Liar, pants on fire…"

"Pah! Think of my methods what you will, Sonic. I got a lot more than you did in this universe, even when I found out the Commander's intentions."

Sonic jumped on the hood of the Egg-o-matic to look Robotnik in the eyes, "And that's one of the main differences between you and me Eggman. I would've stopped Blackbeard on day one, on minute one of finding out." He didn't resume running, instead still standing on the hood of the round car, "Where are we, anyway? How come these… abyssal parts of the base under the Geofront are so BIG?" He widened his arms to emphasize 'big'.

"These facilities require size, not only for the manufacturing of the Evas, but also for the main purpose that they have, which is to… ascend."

Shadow noticed an eye sparkle when he said that, "Ascend?" Then engines turned inside Shadow's head when he remembered the Geofront was essentially a big underground sphere, "This… this entire structure is supposed to ascend?"

Robotnik nodded, "Along with Lilith- with the white Giant you boys saw with Inspector Kaji and Major Katsuragi, yes."

Shadow looked at his fellow hedgehogs, "Like in the vision. After Rei said she wouldn't be Gendo's puppet."

Sonic blinked at Shadow then asked Robotnik, "Why?"

Robotnik flashed his teeth, "In time, Sonic. We're almost there."

"Where?" Silver spoke for the first time.

"It should be right over this corner," The Egg-o-matic turned as did the two hedgehogs flanking it, Sonic jumped back to the ground to approach the area. "Ah yes. There it is."

Just around the corner they turned there was a massive cross-shaped ditch, big enough to fit several giant heads, like heads of the Evangelions. And there were in fact, several giant skulls inside that giant ditch. Stretching for as far as Shadow's eye could see. Oddly enough he was widening his eyes just as Sonic and Silver were. A thought that probably couldn't cross Sonic's and Silver's heads crossed Shadow's: Some of those giant skulls were remarkably similar to a human's, only giant.

"The Evangelion Prototype graveyard."

Robotnik's declaration shook the three of them out of the wide eye apathy. They looked at him then back at the skulls and Sonic asked, "The… what now?"

"The very first attempts at making an Evangelion Unit. You see; everything that happened in this universe for the past seventeen years or so, including the disaster of fifteen years ago had been a laid out plan by an ancient instructions manual from the stars, and an ancient Terra Forming machine found in the arctic."

Without looking away from the giant ditch they were passing, Shadow asked, "Why?"

Robotnik grinned, twirling his mustache upwards, "Because some men always desire Godhood my dear hedgehogs." The end of the ditch finally came into view, "And when you mess with godhood without having a brain like mine, stuff like Second Impact and these failed experiments happen."

(SGE)

Robotnik felt his heart flutter. He was actually so excited that he felt his heart beating hard; he thought he could hear it.

 _This is it. Oh boy I wonder how the hedgehogs will react. I can hardly wait! Heck, maybe even I will have a reaction I don't expect. Maybe I'll see Miss Ayanami under a whole new light…_

He parked the Egg-o-matic by the side of where the train trolley ended. Robotnik wondered how many times Akagi and Ikari took this secret particular trolley to this location. How many times did they actually bring Ayanami over? For it was here that lay yet another secret most foul of these humans that were attempting to claim godhood, attempting to take their species to the next step in evolution.

 _Not to mention maybe their boss wants none of that. He probably just wants to see his wife again._

He thought as he opened the doors that led into a hospital like facility, tubes and several other medical gear spread about. A dirty bed in the middle across the huge door.

"What is this place?" Sonic asked.

"This is where Miss Ayanami was born," he answered matter-of-factly.

Sonic downed his eyelids at him, appearing annoyed, "And _this_ was supposed to shock us more than the giant ditch with giant skulls?"

Robotnik almost roared with laughter, restraining himself to just flashing his teeth, "No. The next room is supposed to do that."

Walking through a small balcony they could see the prototype graveyard just outside again, now noticing not only the cross-shaped ditch but several holes surrounding it. Robotnik smiled again when he noticed how the image once again disturbed the hedgehogs, even though they drove through it on their way there.

 _I guess seeing the whole thing from up above is different…_

Nothing was said by the four of them as they continued on their way. The darkness kept on settling in and Robotnik could see that the tension in the three hedgehogs increased as the darkness increased. The balcony became a walkway into a round tube like chamber.

Robotnik picked up the computer again, "And we're finally here. Give me a second."

All three hedgehogs looked at him but it was Sonic that asked, "What's up?"

"Unlike what we've been doing with the Egg-o-matic, this area can't be reached without anybody knowing about it. I have to open this manually to show you boys this secret."

He started working on opening the door. Worked on it for some time, but managed to do so without being detected. Robotnik could tell the tension created by the darkness, the very edgy place they were at was driving Sonic insane. He was almost losing it when Robotnik managed to get the door open.

"Finally!" Sonic exclaimed as he made his way inside.

The room was a round tube like room, with an orange glass tube inside. Also pretty ominously dark. On the ceiling a 'brain' like structure could be seen

 _So that's Lilith's brain. This is how Rei was made._

"So what now Eggman?" Sonic got his attention again as the other two hedgehogs lined themselves with him.

"HOHOHOHO!" Now Robotnik could no longer restrain himself.

Sonic, Shadow and Silver blinked.

"I am going to _love_ this. Behold, hedgehogs," he pressed another button in his computer.

The room lit itself up, illuminating the glass like structure and revealing more of the orange in the glass tube of the center. Sonic, Shadow and Silver showed the same kind of surprise, like three sides of the same coin. They all also gasped at the same time upon realizing what they were looking at. Robotnik laughed again, this being the exact reaction he was expecting.

Surrounding the area before them, all around them, was a tank filled with several copies of Rei Ayanami.

"What… what the hell is this?" Sonic sounded outraged, particularly focused on the empty smiles and faces of the clones.

"This," Robotnik emphasized it gesturing all around him, "Is the 'Dummy System'."

Wide eyed silence from the hedgehogs as they stared at the lifeless smiling faces of the countless Rei Ayanamis. He laughed again.

"HOHOHOHOHO! This is even better than I thought it would be!"

"Okay Eggman, seriously: WHAT. IS. HAPPENING?!" It was rare for Sonic to emphasize a question like that and glare at him like he was now, so he started speaking with no more hesitation.

"17 years ago, the humans of this universe found the god responsible for all life on this planet. They were so happy about it that a mere 2 years after that, they tried to take that god and its power for themselves. They were punished severely for their arrogance."

Shadow narrowed his red eyes at him, "Found 17 years ago and 2 years after that. You're talking about Second Impact."

Robotnik straightened his glasses, "Correct."

"W-wait a minute!" Silver blinked, "Are you saying that disaster that killed half of this world was caused by humans?!"

Robotnik grinned, "Correct."

Now Sonic, Silver and even Shadow showed the same kind of horror, again like three sides of the same coin.

Sonic recovered first, "But… like… didn't they _know_ what would happen?"

Robotnik's smile became a grin. This just kept getting better and better, "Oh they did. Not the poor scientists who were in the salvage operation like Doctor Katsuragi or anyone else that died, mind you, but some of them definitely knew."

Sonic glared, "Who?!"

"The members of SEELE, who are today the distinct members of the UN's instrumentality committee and the head scientists of then named GERHIRN, Yui Ikari, Gendo Ikari and Naoko Akagi."

Sonic was still glaring, "You just said a bunch of stuff I don't get. And I don't like that. WHY did this happen?!" He raised the white case he was still holding, "And why should we help you, give you this?! Just because you're telling us all this?!"

Unlike Sonic, Robotnik remained calm and collected, hands still behind his back, "From the remains of the god, came the human like case called the Evangelion, the god-like being who works alongside a human soul."

"And this room is?"

"Rei Ayanami was birthed from the same god, from Lilith and from our dear late Yui Ikari."

Sonic blinked, appearing confused. "Um…"

It was Shadow that spoke next, "Rei is a clone of Shinji's mother and the white crucified giant?"

Still grinning, Robotnik nodded, "Very good Shadow. And all of this because the humans of this universe couldn't read the Dead Sea Scrolls correctly. Hehehe, simpletons are so… inept." He harrumphed before continuing speaking solemnly, "Trying to reclaim godhood, called fourth and spawned by the other half of the god, comes the messengers that might destroy this world. Those are the Angels."

"Get to the point!" Silver spoke this time, snapping.

"Hidden in that case is Adam. The other half of the god. The one who spawns the messengers. The one who can end it all."

All three hedgehogs eyed the case in Sonic's hand. Robotnik could hear the engines turning inside their heads as their faces became angrier and more horrified at the finality of what this whole war meant.

"Yes, my dear hedgehogs. You see; there are humans who think _ending_ this world will make it perfect."

A moment of silence in which Robotnik pondered the fact he didn't tell the hedgehogs everything, like it wouldn't be the end per se, only turning the consciousness of humans into _only one_ consciousness, or how Gendo wanted to see his wife again and none of the other stuff, was irrelevant. Of course they would hand Adam over to him. Of course they would think the risk of him making the world at his image was better than Ikari and SEELE trying to destroy it.

"Humans really can be despicable things," Shadow's ominous declaration concluded Robotnik's speech.

"Shadow," the blue hedgehog looked at him, "This is something else that she meant, when she said she was soiled. She cloned someone from an Angel."

Robotnik blinked, "What? Who was soiled?"

"Ritsuko-" Sonic stopped himself and dismissed him, "No, never mind that." He eyed Robotnik determinably, "If you knew about this horrible stuff, why were you helping Blackbeard, Eggman?"

Robotnik rose an eyebrow but before he could answer…

"Wait Sonic, before that…" Shadow caught everyone's attention again, "Destroy this tank doctor Robotnik,"

…And surprised everyone, including Robotnik, "What?"

Sonic spoke again, "Um… Shadow?"

Shadow looked at Sonic, "If Rei can no longer be replaced, Sonic, she'll be truly unique." Then back at him, "Do it, doctor."

Sonic blinked but then seemed to remember something and something hit him, "You're right Shads!" pounding his palm with his fist he continued, "We do this and Rei will be truly free," He turned to Robotnik, "Do it, Eggman."

For the first time in the whole conversation, Robotnik felt cornered, "The Evas are already equipped with a dummy and the schematics for it have probably already been sent to the Mass Production Evas, Hedgehogs. Destroying the Dummy plug now is useless and might have severe consequences."

The eyes of the three hedgehogs narrowed and Sonic said it again, "Destroy it or we will, Robotnik."

"HA! You will destroy flesh, Sonic?"

Sonic didn't even flinch, "Rei is not some doll that will have her body replaced by one of these things. Rei is Rei. The soul, the life is with her and hers alone. Pounding these things will be like pounding lifeless steaks."

Robotnik processed how surprised he was at the usual determination his long life enemy showed even to something like this and at how he figured out what Rei really was, then he nodded, "Like the Eva, birthed from the god, absorbed a soul, these spawns are but copies. Like you said only the real Ayanami has a soul. Very good hedgehog. Oh well…"

He shrugged and then typed a different sequence in his computer, found the right algorithm and clicked on it. Once the program was executed, the density of the LCL increased, going from orange to red and the bodies of the Rei Ayanamis slowly began dispersing, dissolving, falling apart or any combination of the three. Robotnik, Silver, Shadow and even Sonic were wearing the same solemn expression as the lifeless bodies dissolved and the tank became even redder.

(SGE)

Back at the abyssal chamber entrance to Terminal Dogma, with the huge door that led into Terminal Dogma's main and central sector open, giving vision to Lilith in all of its horrid crucified glory, Robotnik and the three hedgehogs stood as if the finality of what had been done (the destruction of the Dummy Plug System) and what was about to be done (Give Adam to Robotnik) could swallow the whole world.

 _Am I really going to give this guy this thing that can be used to start Third Impact? Just because he would wanna control the world instead of destroying it like Blackbeard? Is he really the lesser of two evils?_

Sonic eyed the white case again. Then he eyed the crucified white giant with a purple mask and seven eyes in the distance.

 _The future we saw, maybe it can't be stopped…? This thing exists… the Egghead and Blackbeard also exist… the kids are damaged goods…_

Sonic shook his head.

 _No! Ain't gonna happen! And even if it does…_

He eyed Robotnik.

… _I'm coming for you._

Robotnik rose one eyebrow and his smile faltered somewhat, "What is it Sonic?"

Sonic made an effort to stop scowling, "I'm just thinking about something."

Robotnik's smile returned, "Ah, yes, today was a very eventful day was it not?"

"…"

"But don't you worry; I won't let the old men end the world."

Sonic sneered, "So you can control it?"

Robotnik blinked, then smiled again, "Well you know me well, hedgehog."

Sonic nodded, "I know enough to see what you really want if you wanna stop the vision me, Shadow and Silver saw, the stuff you told me about, like SEELE's attack and the attack of those… what did you call them?"

"The Mass Production Evas," Robotnik nodded, "Construction of them has probably already started."

Sonic sneered, "Like any of that or anything that you do is gonna make a difference in the end…"

"Oh please Sonic," Robotnik snorted, "We've been doing this dance for years. Both of us lost count of how many times we fought. After everything you have seen since you arrived in this universe, everything you have seen _today alone,_ are you really going to say it's all the same as in our original Universe?"

Sonic narrowed his eyes, "Even if it isn't, the end result will be the same: YOU _defeated_!"

The fat bastard stood before Sonic as if his threat wasn't real, "The old familiar attitude and pesky stance even if you're only talking changes nothing."

"You're right. It doesn't. But however this final stretch goes down, the end result will be the same: YOU _defeated_!"

Robotnik sighed, "It's nice to have this… pre-battle talk but I'm afraid we already took long enough in our little ride through 'knowledge of Evangelion' lane."

Sonic snorted, "You think this is about knowledge of this universe? Of what happened at that end we saw thanks to the time Angel and everything else of before we arrived?"

Robotnik blinked, "What else… would it… be…?"

"There won't be anything here for you."

"Pah! I WILL win this time Sonic."

"No. I will. And even if I don't there still won't be anything here for you."

"The odds are against you even if you don't give Adam to me, hedgehog."

Sonic shook his head, "No no, you're missing the point, Humpty Dumpty." He gestured both his hands emphatically, "There's nothing here for you. There's no throne, no land for you to rule. There's no version of this where you come out on top."

That actually stopped Robotnik on his tracks. He stared at the Hedgehog who battled him for so long, the worthy rival that fought with him so many times. This was as serious as ever, the most serious Robotnik ever saw him being.

"Maybe SEELE will attack NERV and it will be too much for the base. Maybe the mass production Evas or whatever will be too much for Shinji and the kids. Maybe the Human Instrumentality will happen, triggered by you and not Blackbeard. But it all comes back to you."

Robotnik blinked.

Sonic gestured the hedgehogs flanking him. "WE will come back for you."

Now Robotnik's mouth hung open. It was rare seeing him speechless.

Sonic boosted, crossing the sea of LCL separating them from the crucified white giant only to touch it, touch Lilith's white monstrous malformed leg. He yelled to Robotnik, Shadow and Silver in the distance, "You see this?!"

Robotnik blinked again, mouth hung open.

Sonic boosted back, making the exact same motion, running atop the sea of LCL back to them, "Lilith cannot absorb us. We cannot be defeated. We'll still be acting, still here even if we fail, even if it all ends."

Robotnik was still hesitating, his jaw still hanging, "Why?"

"Because even if we can't save humanity you can be damn sure we will avenge it."

This shocked Robotnik. He displayed a rare expression of wide eyes coupled with an even slacker jaw. To the surprise of the hedgehogs and probably even his own, he started laughing. "OHOHOHOHO!" Heartily and long, his laugh raged on. "HOHAHAHAHA!"

And that both confused and angered Sonic, "What's so funny Eggman?!"

"HAHAHA! Years, hedgehog! We have actually done this for YEARS! I didn't think we had any other first times left!

Sonic's scowl let up a little, "Wha…?"

"But lo and behold: I was wrong! Even though I have seen you VERY angry, I have even seen you as a werehog! This was yet another first time!"

"What first time?"

"This is the first time you actually threatened to kill me…"

Sonic saw a very satisfied face on Robotnik and could actually feel the stares from the two hedgehogs flanking him, not breaking eye contact with Robotnik. A few slow moments passed that Sonic hated because, well, slow.

And because the egghead was right.

"I guess this universe really got to me…" Sonic narrowed his eyes to the side, "Just take this stupid thing. No other way but forward."

And with that, he raised the hand holding the case towards Robotnik, offering him it. It was a quick movement but observed by everyone in the area. Silver and Shadow looked worried, as if overwhelmed by the ominousness of what was being done. Robotnik grinned a very special grin he had rarely shown. It was a victory grin. Sonic was still narrowing his eyes to the side.

Robotnik was almost trembling as he picked up the case from Sonic, he shivered in anticipation. Sonic was disgusted at how the fat bastard just tingled all over, as if acquiring the best thing ever. He actually caressed the case before going through the motions of opening it

"Oh yes. Yes, _finally_ ," Sonic could have sworn there was something… _sexual_ in the way Robotnik spoke just now. This was way worse than when he was speaking up his latest greatest machine that would destroy sonic.

Sonic rolled his eyes, "Just get this over with Eggman."

"Ah indeed Sonic," he did something to the case at the same time he spoke.

It whirred and opened, actually letting out a puff of white smoke. Was 'Adam' or whatever it was there supposed to be kept cold?

"Yes, YES! Finally I will-"

But what really mortified Sonic most was the fact that after looking inside the case, Robotnik cut himself off, lost his smile, his face went white and his jaw hung open. Even behind the dark round glasses, Sonic could see Robotnik widened his eyes as pure disbelieving shock tainted his face.

"Um… Eggman?" Asked a confused sonic as he looked inside the same case, Silver and Shadow flanking him to look inside it as well. Silver blinked, Shadow narrowed his eyes and Sonic rose one eyebrow.

The case was empty.

"Um… Eggman," Sonic started, sounding even more confused, "Shouldn't there be something inside there?"

"But… it's impossible! It's his most prized possession and it needs special care to be kept safe… Where- what could possibly…"

Without losing the pale aspect, the widened eyes and the taint of disbelieving shock, Robotnik mumbled under his breath, speaking between gasps and almost stammering. The hedgehogs could only blink as the engines turned in that bald head.

"Unless he somehow… crafted it into a human's… into his own body? Absorbed it…?"

It was then that a realization hit him. Sonic didn't know what realization it was but he could tell, anyone could tell that Robotnik realized something. Something terrible. He dropped the empty case to the ground because both his hands clenched hard into fists, he began shaking all over, but mostly on the fists and he gritted his teeth. Also really hard.

"Ikari…" Robotnik whispered angrily, still shaking and with clenched fists.

Sonic blinked, "What about Blackbeard?"

" _Ikari!_ " Now he almost yelled and then, "Ikari!" yelled for real, "IKARI!" yelled atop his lungs as he waved his fist upwards as if he wanted to kill the owner of the name he was shouting, "IKAAAAAAARRRIIIIIIII!"

(SGE)

As he walked through the depths of the dark bowels where his base was built, just as he headed to the access point that would take him into Central Dogma to deal with the latest Angel incursion, something that probably involved the new Unit 03, he felt a very alien, very apprehensive and very uncomfortable feeling. For some reason he recognized immediately what it was, he knew what had just happened to him.

And just in time too. The area Sonic broke into a while ago was where _it_ was. Of course he'd take precautions. Of course he'd anticipate Robotnik's betrayal. He would have to be careful around Rei, keep his distance from her to avoid accidentally doing things he shouldn't sooner, but it didn't matter. He now had everything he needed and all that was left was defeating the remaining Angels.

Taking advantage of the fact these were some of the most inhospitable corridors of his base he reached for his right hand. He didn't know how or why he knew it appeared there. He just did. He removed the white glove covering his right hand. He smiled at the one eyed deformity now complementing the ugliness of his burnt hand, as if the burn marks and the wrinkled grayish flesh complimented each other. A small eye on top of it all.

"You showed up in there of all places?"

His smile stretched into a fully fledged grin when the thing's eye moved ever so slightly to look at him.

"You really _do_ love the ugliest part of the human being don't you?"


	11. Rage

**Chapter 11:** _ **Rage**_

He was moping. He was sitting on the ground, his legs in a very uncomfortable position, still looking at the empty case, still with the same defeated look on his face. This was way worse than the times the hedgehogs and his friends destroyed his latest super platform or defeated the latest god-like entity he recruited.

"So, what?! You're just gonna sit there, Robotnik? It's not like _I_ was the one that defeated you!" His long-time rival exclaimed suddenly.

Shadow nodded, "There must still be something we can do…"

That made Robotnik snap back into action somewhat, though he still didn't stand back up, "You don't understand, hedgehogs; IT'S OVER! With Adam grafted into his body and the fidelity of Miss Ayanami, Gendo Ikari can jump start Third Impact whenever he wants. It's over!"

Silver narrowed his eyes, "Maybe you can just sit and accept an entire world is doomed, but I," He looked at his fellow hedgehogs, " _we_ cannot."

"That's right Silver," Sonic said in his usual determined voice, "Come on, we gotta figure out what to do next! Just leave the Egghead sulking here."

The three hedgehogs started walking away. It irked Robotnik how the stupid plush dolls didn't know anything of anything and could just shrug off something as huge and heavy handed as 'Gendo Ikari has what he needs to end the world'. Or maybe he was just jealous the hedgehogs could just keep going no matter what. Sonic's tenacity WAS what he always feared most about him, since they first started fighting.

 _Come on Ivo… think… Can you still turn this around? You can turn this around right? How much did you do and learn since you came here?_

…

 _Come on come on, Evangelion structure, god like structure. Cells, molecules that can reconfigure themselves on the go, decide whether they'll be wave or particle, energy that travels through extra dimensional means. Energy of the soul…_

…

 _Soul. Being. To become whatever you want in the molecular level as you go. Core control. Core… control…_

…

 _CORE CONTROL!_

He stood up suddenly and gazed upwards the gigantic white gargantuan that was the crucified Lilith.

 _Perhaps… perhaps if I use that, I can claim Lilith for myself… it will be difficult, but it's the only trump card I still have, the only thing I can use against Gendo…_

Dusting himself off and walking away, he took one last look at the white giant…

 _I'll move it here first, start working on this new project immediately._

…before continuing and reaching for his com unit.

 _But let me distract everybody else first._

"Sonic, can you hear me?"

(SGE)

Sonic blinked, not knowing what he was more surprised at: The fact his com unit spoke something or that Robotnik was out of his defeated stupor and contacting them.

"Um, Robotnik?"

"Sonic, nice to see you can use your com unit perfectly. Is that something that came with your scarf and Emerald pouch?" He asked sarcastically.

Sonic snorted at his com unit, "We are already on the elevator out of Terminal Dogma. What do you want?"

"I have figured out something I can do to try and take back the blow Ikari delivered onto us by absorbing Adam, but I'm gonna need your help."

"…Um-"

"I'm gonna need to move something real big, right now, it has to be now, and it has to be in silence. No one can know I did it. I will hide it here in Terminal Dogma so I can work with _it_ and _Lilith_! I need a distraction to do that."

Sonic blinked, looked at his fellow hedgehogs before addressing the com unit again, "Alright Egghead, what do you need us to do?"

"Simple really; Shadow and Silver create an even bigger ruckus fighting NERV security and the rest of my Eggbots- Yes I will release the remaining Units- while you, Sonic, hurry out of HQ and the Geofront, up to the surface."

"Why am I going to the surface?"

As if answering his question, the elevator dinged and opened the door to the outside fields of the Geofront, just out of the abyssal parts of the NERV base.

"We can't hear it because we're all the way down here in Terminal Dogma, but I'm pretty sure the Angel alarm is blaring right now."

Sonic eyebrows shot up and then he looked determined, "There's an Angel attacking?!"

"Why yes. That would be the next Angel, Bardiel. And it took control of one of the Evangelion Units. Unit 03 to be exact."

Sonic narrowed his eyes to the side, getting pumped up.

"Remember Sonic, you go fight the Angel while Silber and Shadow-"

"What about its pilot, Robotnik?" Shadow spoke next, cutting him off.

There was a bald forehead slap sound, "Oh right. You boys have been either incarcerated or hiding out of HQ and out of the Geofront. You wouldn't have heard who the pilot of Unit 03, the Fourth Child, is…"

"Just speak clearly Robotnik!" Sonic snapped.

"It's Mr. Aida, Sonic."

Sonic blinked, his eyes quickly becoming dinner plates with green bottoms. "Ke… Kensuke?"

"Yes."

"Kensuke is inside a giant robot- an Evangelion possessed by an Angel?!"

"I'm afraid he is."

Sonic boosted. Leaving the entrance to Terminal Dogma almost instantaneously and running up the elevator shaft and ignoring the elevator already there. Shadow and Silver stayed back while sound itself shattered behind him.

(SGE)

It was rare for Shinji to utterly and completely hate not knowing. What he DID know was that an Angel had attacked Matsushiro, where not only Misato, but also doctor Akagi and his friend Kensuke with the new Evangelion were at. He also knew that, like every other occasion, he'd have to fight it off and win. Also oddly enough, this time around his father was commanding him instead of Misato.

All he was told about Matsushiro is that there was only a small degree explosion. Though status of the area was unknown and sheltered people were probably safe, now that he was actually deployed, on standby for the 'target' to arrive, with nothing to do but wait, he couldn't help but think about everything that happened.

 _How are we getting through it this time…?_

And now his mind wondered back to all the times he got through it, that he fought before. The near death brawl with Iblis and with the volcanic Angel before that. How he had to stampede across a lake to get the laser Angel, the whole time losing several limbs. How he fought the double Angel by syncing with Asuka with help from Sonic and Shadow. How the meteor Angel nearly crushed him. All of those times he felt unbelievable pain, searing him through the synchronization with his Eva. All of those times, like right now, he felt crushing fear and nervousness.

 _And now Kensuke is in the same boat… starting off even worse than I did…_

 _Well, maybe not worse, an Angel also attacked on my first day too…_

His haze of nervousness and fear was somewhat jolted out of him when the command line said something about 'target from Nobeyama' that he couldn't quite make out and he looked up slightly to see something approaching in the distance.

… _Is that the…?_

"Um… Is that the target?"

"Correct. That is your target." his father's stoic composure shook him out of his stupor completely. He felt his eyes widening and the blood draining out of his face didn't even noticed he was gripping the yolks of his Evas hard until his palms ached.

"The… target? T-that's an Angel?!"

Shinji sucked in a double lungful of LCL.

"That's an Eva!"

"No way! Taken over by an Angel?" he heard Asuka whisper angrily from her Eva through his com Unit.

But her whisper and whatever buzz was happening in the command center all but disappeared to Shinji as something clicked in his head instantaneously and he reached a conclusion. Again instantaneously, the finality of his conclusion hit him like a ton of bricks.

 _Kensuke is STILL INSIDE THAT THING!_

(SGE)

"I am the one who is going to trash all of you! One by one you will fall!"

Shadow face palmed inside his head. Being all theatrical was never his forte, he never had to _appear_ more bad ass just for the sake of distraction, but this called for every bit of distraction he could muster. The fact there was an Angel attacking helped in that regard, but he still spat out those awful one liners as he unleashed another flurry of attacks that knocked out another squad of armed guards.

Silver grimaced as he too readied another wave of psionic power, "Do you have to scream stuff like that?"

"We must draw their attentions."

SWOSH! CLANG!

He homing attacked an Egg-bot that appeared again shortly after answering Silver.

"Does Robotnik HAVE to send the rest of his toys on us?! Taking down NERV's security and Section 02 is hard enough as it is!"

Silver halted with his telekinetic power the latest swarm of bullets and a couple of Anti-Chaos Energy stun batons that were shot at him. He then exploded in a way Shadow recognized, sending ALL the projectiles Silver stopped with his mind back to the attackers. Four more security guards and two more Section 02 agents were down.

"Robotnik isn't exactly trustworthy, but there is something in this for him," He performed another homing attack on the nearby Egg-bot, sending it flying off and exploding to smithereens, "And he didn't lie about the Angel attacking." He landed and receded back slightly, so he and Silver were back to back again, "I see no reason not to give him the distraction he wants."

(SGE)

"But-" Silver cut himself off narrowing his eyes as he turned to capture more bullets as he heard gunfire behind him. It was a good thing the projectiles being tossed at him were small. Not only it didn't matter they were fast bullets, he could halt then by simply shielding himself, not much of his psionic energy being sapped but also toss them back with enough speed to just knock them out or would them, making them vulnerable to Shadow's bashing and knocking out. No casualties so far.

"But what is Robotnik doing that requires a distraction? Why aren't we helping Sonic getting out of here and go fight the Angel too?"

"That, I don't know. Nothing else we can do right now."

Silver narrowed his eyes to the side as he heard more enemies approaching.

"Think of it this way," Shadow was as collected as ever as he prepared for another bout, "We're making it easy for Sonic to leave HQ and the Geofront to go help the kids kill the Angel."

(SGE)

Sonic had slowed down, allowing the sense of hearing, sound itself catch up with him again, but he was still running, still enjoying the sensation of speed. However he was also actually starting to feel tired.

 _Getting out of HQ and climbing up from the Geofront lines while avoiding guards PLUS going to Nobeyama actually took a higher tool than I thought…_

Something giant and red in the distance caught his attention. Unit 02, Asuka's Evangelion, was downed like a lifeless red mountain, serious abrasions on a skinless, apparently strangled neck, among other bruises throughout the red plated armor.

"Asuka?!"

He boosted again for a second, but stopped short of breaking the sound barrier again and his horrified face was replaced by a determined one when he saw the entry plug was already ejected.

 _She's safe… probably…_

With that thought he resumed his running at a casual pace towards the distant sound of giant robot footsteps. The same foot did a sound he recognized.

 _Did that black Evangelion just BACKFLIP?!_

With that thought, seeing a move that was amazing for something that size, Sonic saw Unit 00 being overpowered almost instantaneously. It was at this moment, seeing one Eva on top of the other, that Sonic actually saw the grandeur of his enemy; there was nothing to its size, since Sonic was used to the giant size of the Evangelions and Angels alike. But the shadow pitch black mech was extremely intimidating with its demon like build. This thing was scarier than the black copy of Evangelion Unit 01 that tossed him, Shadow and Silver across time and space, stopping time like the Time Eater did.

"REI!"

He exclaimed and increased his speed, almost shattering the sound barrier, because the Angel wasn't satisfied with overpowering Unit 00 quickly, the black Evangelion oozed some sort of acid goo on the shoulder of the light blue mech.

"SERIOUSLY! What is it with Angels and acid stuff?!"

He said as he reached the two wrestling gargantuan titans. Before he could do anything else however, he had to screech the ground to slow down and side step four times really quick to be able to dodge the giant piece of plated light blue flesh that flew straight towards him really fast. Upon looking at what he just dodged, he realized it was Unit 00's arm. It had ejected itself from the body for some reason.

"Probably the acid was also poisonous…" he pondered upon looking again at the giant mechs.

Only now it was actually only one mech; the downed Evangelion Unit 00. The black Evangelion, the Angel had already risen and walked away, leaving its second downed opponent behind.

Sonic blinked, "Rei just lost her arm. How is she already out- wait!" He widened his eyes as the sudden worry for the albino girl hit him like a ton of bricks "REI!"

He screamed as he made his way to the top of the downed immobile Unit 00. After running up the plating, wall stepping where he had to and running atop the Evangelion's shoulder and small of the back plating until finally reaching the entry plug hatch entrance. He nabbed it, twisted it in the right way and the plug came scorching out of the Eva's back, with him still holding on to it because it had not ejected completely. He rolled down to the hatch entrance and spin opened it.

Rei was inside, clutching her shoulder, her face twisted in pain, "Sonic…"

"You're okay right Rei?" he didn't give her time to answer before turning away. "I can't waste any time, it's going for Shinji next!" and he resumed his running.

Not that far ahead, he saw the Angel standing before a very still Unit 01, Sonic could have sworn the purple giant robot almost looked frightened.

"Shinji…"

After whispering the name to the wind, Sonic was now running faster again, just below the speed of sound. He wanted to still be able of hear things, like if his communicator ringed or something, so he was barely keeping up with the black giant that had trashed Asuka, then Rei and now stood before a obviously scared Shinji. He was almost on them when the black Evangelion stretched its arm in a very unnatural manner, making the black limb quadruple in size. With a punch, Unit 01 was almost tossed away from the Angel. At the very next moment and with a snap that sounded dangerously like a neck breaking, the black hand gripped around the purple Evangelion's throat.

Upon seeing that Sonic screamed "SHINJI!" And started running even faster, finally shattering the sound barrier behind him, finally ridding himself of his sense of hearing.

(SGE)

"Are you sure about that Kensuke?"

"Positive dude!" His smile opened wider, "I'm loving this! I get to pilot an Evangelion! I can't wait for tomorrow!"

"Well… okay then…"

"Hey don't worry about me man! I _am_ loving this! More importantly…"

Shinji blinked.

Kensuke's face turned slightly serious when he approached Shinji more and whispered, "What about Sonic?"

Shinji nodded, "He escaped. Probably aided by Silver and Shadow as I was told. And there are… a few people considering everything he said."

Kensuke actually smiled and sighed in relief, "That's good. I don't buy that he's the bad guy either."

Shinji smiled, "He has an effect on people doesn't he? And not just because of how he looks."

Kensuke nodded still smiling but then appeared crushed "I just wished I could've said goodbye."

(SGE)

 _Even I could tell he was crushed. I wanted to say goodbye to Sonic too. I couldn't say anything to him at that time, so I just held his shoulder. It was unusual for me, since I was never much into that kind of closeness. At least he didn't jerk away like I did when we met in the wild and Robotnik met up with us. I felt it was a moment it was safe for us to be closer._

 _Also, it was at that time that I thought about how even Kensuke agreed with what Mephiles said, even though he didn't know, and I didn't even tell him what Mephiles said about my dad. It was that conversation that really cemented our status as 'both of us are pilot friends'._

 _That was the last time we talked, the last conversation we ever had._

…

 _No! I can't let myself think like that! Just because he's a pilot and he's my friend doesn't mean he's going to die! I WILL talk to him again!_

 _Why am I even remembering and thinking about all of this anyway?_

…

 _Oh, right…_

(SGE)

Shinji opened his eyes again to feel the same pain around his neck, stopping him from breathing, and to see the same scary black Evangelion like face glaring at him as it strangled him.

… _Unit 03- the Angel knocked out Asuka and Rei, then flung me away before grabbing my throat, almost knocking me out…_

"Shinji, why aren't you engaging the target?" his father's stoic voice actually managed to reach him through his Eva's com unit, shaking him out of his drowsiness and over thinking it stupor.

"Kensuke is still inside it!"

"Irrelevant. I said he and Unit 03 are now expandable."

Shinji felt his face twisting in anger and horror and finally, something akin to hate tinged his heart. Funny how he could recognized even in the heat of battle, even as he was choked by the Angel.

"We have to find a way to save him!"

"SHINJI!"

A sudden new voice, winded by strain, came from just in front of him, Sonic just emerged, apparently instantaneously, in front of him, clinging to something in Unit 01's face, maybe the plating, because he was right in front of Shinji's sight.

"Shinji! I can't open the hatch to the plug where Ken is! It is super glued with some sort of acidic gooey stuff! We gotta find another way to save Kensuke!"

Still feeling the choke hold, Shinji sputtered out, "I know, but-"

"Third Child!" He heard his father once again, cutting him off harshly, from his com unit, "The mobians are no longer relevant here. You will fight the Angel."

"I won't kill my friend, father!"

"You will die if you don't fight."

"I don't care! I still won't kill my friend!"

There was a bump of some sort on the other side of his com link and his father stopped addressing him, "Activate Unit 01's dummy plug system!"

"Shinji! Can you hear me?! How do we save Kensuke?!" Shinji was able to return his focus to his current situation when Sonic drew his attention again.

 _Come on Shinji, think. You can't use the Eva right now. What CAN you use?!_

Whether it was the heat of the moment or the fact he still felt like he was being chocked thanks to the synchronization, it actually took him a very long moment to actually think about what he would have thought of instantaneously…

 _The emerald!_

…and let go of the yolks that controlled the Eva to make a round shape with both his hands.

"It's still more useful than the current pilot! Do it now!" his father yelled on the other side of his com unit for some reason.

Ignoring that advent and ignoring the fact Sonic was no longer in front of him, he focused on the magical gem he still had. The purple Chaos Emerald started manifesting itself on his hands, in a blurry octagonal shape.

It was then that several things happened at the same time: The purple Chaos Emerald appeared on his palms; He saw Sonic holding on to the entry plug stuck in the back of the black Eva, trying to open it; And weirdest of it all, the sensation of synchronization left him as his whole entry plug went dark, replaced by a red light.

He narrowed his eyes, confused, since this wasn't supposed to happen until what he was going to do next. Even more confused when a box saying 'operation dummy system' appeared in front of him, blocking a good chunk of his sight. He didn't waste any time pondering on it though, he needed to be fast. He focused on the emerald, closing his eyes and seeing nothing but the inside of Unit 03's entry plug…

 _Take me to Kensuke!_

…before executing the intended maneuver yelling, "CHAOS CONTROL!"

Darkness of a purple hue with a saturation that both engulfed and suffocated him, enveloping him as suddenly as he was physically present again. The next thing he noticed was how the purple was a psychedelic jumble of horrific colors, like looking directly into the mind of a monster. Shinji realized that wasn't too far from the truth; he really was inside the entry plug of an Angel controlled Eva.

And, sure enough, when his searching eyes gazed in the right direction…

"KENSUKE!"

…he saw his friend, unconscious, still with glasses on, a blackish plugsuit covering his small thin frame, but most scary of it all; his arms and his legs appeared to be 'fused' with the yolks and pedals of the Evangelion by some sort of grey mass.

He licked his lips, once again focusing on the jewel on his hand…

 _Just like in the living room, showing Asuka, zap the table without damaging it, I have to zap Kensuke's limbs without damaging them. Just have to free him!_

After a moment of reflection on how freaky it was that Mephiles taught him to use such a Chaos technique without even talking to him, at the same time thankful he was now saving his friend, he pointed the purple gem at Kensuke's left hand… 

"Chaos BEAM!"

… and a focused string of energy that looked like purple light erupted from the Emerald's tip. This was much more powerful, brighter and thicker than the small laser beam he showed Asuka that barely damaged the living room table. This not only burned away the strange grey mass enveloping Kensuke's limbs, it seemed to somehow purify it, making it fade not only in the area where the light hit but also all around it.

Feeling a spike of determination on how well his technique worked, Shinji smiled and didn't waste any time…

"Chaos BEAM!"

…and now both of Kensuke's hands were free…

"Chaos BEAM! Chaos BEAM!"

…followed swiftly by both of his legs.

Shinji embraced the unconscious form of Kensuke, now floating around freely like Shinji was, with both arms while still holding onto the purple Chaos Emerald. He focused on the Chaos Emerald once again…

"Chaos CONTROL!"

…and then Shinji was outside. The glare of the sun briefly hurt his sight, being on the ground again, lying on the asphalt, gave him a feeling whiplash, being that different from the last two entry plugs he was at. None of that even mattered though, because Kensuke was lying there beside him, apparently safe and sound although he was still unconscious.

"Kensuke," He turned to him, wanting to check on him. Simply seeing that he was still breathing was enough for Shinji to shake his head and turn away from his friend's immobile form, "I can't waste any more time here! I have to get back… into my own… Eva?"

The reason his determination turned into a question was that when he turned to look at the giant behemoths in the distance, he expected seeing the black Evangelion, now without Kensuke, mangling Evangelion Unit 01, now limp because it didn't have him in its entry plug.

No, he didn't see that, what he saw instead was Unit 01 on its feet, overpowering the black Angel controlled Evangelion.

"W… what? How-?"

He was cut off by a very loud snapping sound that took a while to reach him because of how distant he was from the two gargantuan, but a snapping sound nonetheless. Made even scarier by the fact the Black Evangelion's arms went limp after that sound.

Shinji widened his eyes and his brow creased in fear, "Did… did you… do this, father?" he took a small step towards the giants in the distance. "You… you don't now I saved Kensuke. You don't… I didn't…" The horror that formed in his chest kept growing as the purple Unit 01 proceeded to throw the black Unit 03 to the ground and stomp it with its fists and remove pieces of it.

With a mouth hanging open and eyes wide in an expression of horror, Shinji whispered as if his father was listening, "Y-you… would have used me to kill Kensuke…?"

(SGE)

Sonic couldn't believe it.

"Shinji!" he exclaimed to the wind, "What the heck are you doing?! Kensuke is still inside the robot you're trashing!"

But his hopes that Shinji was somehow still listening seemed vain because the second big piece of the black Evangelion's armor flew right by him, as he side stepped to avoid it.

"It's no use! I gotta go after Kensuke right now!"

As he fell into open air, once again tossed around by the giants fighting around him (more like the purple one massacring the black one), he reached for his pouch, taking one of the Chaos emeralds that he had with him

 _I can't do this nearly as well as Shadow or even Silver, but it's gotta work! I gotta save Kensuke!_

Still falling he wielded the green emerald upwards, focusing on it…

 _So take me to Kensuke!_

…and screamed, "Chaos Control!"

One enveloping flash of greenish light later he was looking up at the bright blue sky, the bright green of the emerald he was holding right beneath it.

"No no NO! I didn't wanna go outside! I wanted to go to Unit 03's entry… plug…?" As he said it he looked around him, "KENSUKE!" And saw Kensuke, wearing a black plug suit and unconscious, with Shinji standing nearby, "Oh Kensuke thank GOD!" He went to a kneeling position beside him instantaneously.

 _Still alive, seems okay._

He sighed in relief and looked at the teenager still standing.

"Shinji. Wha-"

He blinked in confusion when he saw in the distance the Black Evangelion was still being torn to pieces by the purple Evangelion. Shinji was watching in horror. Sonic noticed he probably had been for a while, and not even his sudden appearance distracted him. Sonic wasn't distracted by the fact Shinji had the purple Chaos Emerald in his hand. It was easy enough for Sonic to figure it all out.

 _Shinji saved Kensuke using the Chaos Emerald. He learned to use it like we can somehow…_

"Good job Shinji!"

Shinji looked at him, expression still somewhat horrified. "Um… Huh?"

"You saved Kensuke right?"

"Oh… Y-yes I did." Shinji stared ahead again.

Sonic blinked. He wanted to ask how Shinji learned to use Chaos Control, but noticed there was something else really bugging Shinji, "What's the matter?"

Sonic looked in the direction Shinji was looking when he didn't say anything. Unit 01 was still mangling Unit 03.

"Um… that's good isn't it? You and Ken not being inside those things as they tear at each other?" Sonic gulped when the purple Eva removed the empty entry plug from the black Eva and seemed about to smash it. "Well actually it's totally one sided…"

Shinji on the other hand seemed even more horrified when Unit 01 smashed the entry plug like an egg, some foul liquid raining down on the ground far away from them.

Sonic looked at him again, "Shinji, please talk to me! You're safe, Kensuke is safe and the Angel is being trashed. So what's wrong?! Why are you-?"

"I'm not piloting."

Sonic blinked, "Huh?"

"I'm not inside Unit 01. I'm not doing that," He pointed at the purple giant that had just totally and utterly destroyed the black giant.

Sonic double took the sight far away from them and Shinji. He then scratched his head, "Then how-?"

"My father…" Sonic thought he would be relieved by Shinji's expression no longer being one of horror. He wasn't, because now he had pure unaltered hatred in his expression, "My father, he did something to my Eva… he… Dummy system or something… he…"

Sonic actually winced, "Shinji, calm down dude," it was _very weird_ seeing a usually gentle face like Shinji's tainted with rage like that.

"I don't think I _can_ calm down Sonic. He would have used me to kill Kensuke."

"Shinji, you don't need to be like your father. Hey look at me," when Shinji slowly turned to face him, he continued, "You are _not_ like Blackbeard. I told you before; you're awesome. You're gentle, kind and you kicked ass in every battle you've been in."

Shinji nodded, "I know that Sonic."

"Do you? 'Cause you still look really angry…"

"He abandoned me and started hating me for his wife's death. Which wasn't my fault. And now he…" Shinji trailed off as he stared at the image in the distance, that was now Evangelion Unit 01 smashing the entry plug of Unit 03.

Sonic wished he could say something else other than what he already said. And was glad he didn't need to because Shinji had more to say.

"Sonic, take this away from me. You can probably use it better than me anyway," he stretched the hand holding the purple Chaos Emerald.

Sonic blinked, "Oh yeah, that. I was gonna ask you for this anyway. It's the last of the seven, I really needed it too. How'd you get this anyway?"

Shinji shook his head, "Long story."

Sonic rose one eyebrow, "If it was so much trouble for you to get it, why are you just giving it to me like this?"

Shinji narrowed his eyes, "I abandoned Unit 01. He'll want to talk to me in private for that. I'm afraid of what I'll do if I have the emerald with me when confronting him…"

Sonic blinked, "Why?"

"Because Mephiles told me to…" Shinji trailed off again, looking to the side, still looking like rage consumed him.

"Wow, Mephiles?! Did you-?"

"Did you say the truth Sonic?"

Now Sonic rose the other eyebrow, "Huh?"

"About my father, did you say the truth about him and what he wants?"

Sonic winced. _Ah… that…_

He looked away from Shinji. Unit 01 in the distance was now limp and no longer fighting. Unit 03 was in pieces.

 _Target neutralized I guess…_

Sonic eyed him sadly, "I'm sorry, Shinji. I wouldn't joke or lie about something like that… I know what I saw."

Now Shinji really grimaced and dropped the emerald. Sonic quickly grabbed it. After that, Sonic could tell that, in Shinji's own way this was the ugliest face he could do. His mouth was twisted and his gentle blue eyes were filled with rage.

Sonic winced again. _Well… someone really hates his dad…_

"Look, you don't have to feel bad about what happened…" Sonic looked him in the eye, "you are NOT like your father…"

"It's not that Sonic, it's just…"

"Breathe, Shinji. Pace around too if you think it'll help…"

Shinji complied and Sonic accompanied him with his eyes. "It's just that he… Not just him, everyone working for him, even Misato…" he breathed. Taking deep breaths for some reason. "I hate them all…"

Sonic looked troubled, "Shinji…"

"If it wasn't for Asuka I'd…" he trailed off shaking in anger then shook his head as if to clear it, "You should leave Sonic."

Sonic knew he was right, he knew he was still a fugitive but he didn't wanna just leave Shinji there like that.

"They will lock you away again if they catch you. Go."

If the situation wasn't so grim, Sonic would have felt proud of Shinji for speaking so spontaneously for the first time. How sad was it that the first time of that was for something like rage. And directed towards a figure like his own father.

"Just don't go do anything stupid because of all the crap you handled today, Shinji. You handled it. You're okay."

He allowed himself to say that much although he couldn't outright tell Shinji 'don't try to kill himself again', before boosting away from the scene, testing the energy he gained from the new emerald, given to him by Shinji. Also, even though he was running, he couldn't help but wonder what was still going through the poor boy's mind.

 **Author's note: Evangelion belongs to Gainax, Sonic belongs to Sega. Big thanks for GamerJay for beta reading.**

 **And now Shinji hates his father. He even gave Sonic the Purple Chaos Emerald he had so he wouldn't kill him. What consequences will that have and how it will go down I wonder. Also, has anyone figured out what the "something big" that Robotnik has that he "will try to use to take Lilith to himself" AND used Shadow and Silver as a distraction to move it to Terminal Dogma? It is a forgotten plot point that we haven't seen since the first book. Stay tuned!**

 **Reviews are greatly appreciated!**


	12. Ashes

Disclaimer: Evangelion belongs to Gainax, Sonic belongs to Sega.

Thoughts of gratitude: Big thank you goes to GamerJay for beta reading.

 **Chapter 12:** _ **Ashes**_

Misato awoke with a killer headache. Not a hung over head ache but instead the worst kind of headache. Between that and the fact she was lying in a stretcher, she definitely had a concussion.

"I'm alive…" she looked to her side, "Kaji?"

He smiled, "You were lucky Katsuragi."

"How's Ritsuko?"

"Don't worry. Her condition is better than yours."

"I see," relief spread across her face briefly before she remembered, "What about Unit 03?"

Kaji's face turned serious, "Was handled as an Angel by Unit 01."

She felt horror spread across her chest. She looked away from Kaji, "I need to talk to Shinji-kun."

"I don't think that you need to do that for the moment."

Misato blinked.

"Unit 01 was moved by the Dummy plug, the auto pilot system. Shinji had to be rescued from within Nobeyama. He had Kensuke with him."

Now Misato actually frowned in confusion, "How…?"

"Nobody knows. There was also some fuss in the base."

"Huh?"

"Shadow and Silver, they," Kaji seemed to struggle with something, "They knocked out every security and Section 02 Agent. There were no human casualties, but they also destroyed the remaining security bots that were courtesy of Robotnik."

Misato frowned and looked up the sky, "What about Shinji-kun?"

"He is in custody due to abandoning his post and disobeying orders."

(SGE)

 _This is NOT what I signed up for! Gott damn it you idiot! How dare you make me worry like this?!_

She was pacing outside the cell's block of the base, worried beyond any limit she thought she could worry about something.

 _What the hell do you mean you disobeyed orders and left your Eva?! Don't you know that's grounds for imprisonment you stupid idiot?!_

Even though pretty much every officer she spoke to confirmed what her boyfriend did, she still couldn't believe it. She only stopped pacing because she noticed the First was still sitting there, as if she was a statue, staring stoically at nothing.

Her still scowling eyes blinked, "What the hell are you still doing here Wonder Girl?!"

Rei slowly turned to look at her, "I'm worried about Shinji, just like you."

Asuka blinked before scowling at her again, "What makes you think I'm worried about him?"

"You're pacing and waiting just around the cell block he's been confined to. Besides, isn't it normal for lovers to worry about each other?"

She narrowed her eyes, "Okay, get out."

Rei blinked.

Asuka was right up in her face now, "He's mine, do you understand me?! You can't have him! Stay away from him!"

"I don't have any interest in him like that."

Asuka felt her face twist in genuine anger now. A human shouldn't be able to be that expressionless and that clueless about something like that. "Yeah, I don't believe you Wonder Girl." She shook her head.

"Why would I lie about this?"

 _To take him for yourself!_ Asuka almost said it instead of just thinking it. But instead she just stared into those red, disturbing and almost dead eyes.

 _I need to calm down. Shinji wouldn't do something stupid like cheat on me…_ It was with that thought that she realized her current state was cause by how worried she was for the idiot.

She shook her head as she resumed pacing and she noticed Rei was now following her with her red eyes. _Sometimes I hate the effect he has on me…_

Her inner monologue and her worry were interrupted by the arrival of a man in a black suit, a Section 02 agent. He had bandages around his head and his wrist was wrapped in a cast and bandages. Asuka guessed the rumors about the hedgehogs injuring every security agent on base were true. She and Rei stared at him intently.

"Commander Ikari wants to see him," he answered the unasked question that must have been in their staring.

Asuka grimaced to the side. _At least he'll be released…_

(SGE)

After talking to Fuyutsuki about how Robotnik was possibly trying to do something with Lilith, since he couldn't get Adam for himself and about the possible complications that would arise from the Dummy System being destroyed, Gendo resumed the same menial tasks of paper work that usually followed a battle. Fuyutsuki too went to tend to similar matters, leaving him alone in his office and it was in such time that he asked for his son to be brought in.

 _What else could Robotnik be doing? What did he gain by destroying the Dummy Plug and now hiding in Terminal Dogma? What did he bring to Terminal Dogma using the two hedgehogs as a distraction?_

The only thing he knew for sure was that Robotnik was now hiding and he had moved something big to Terminal Dogma, using Shadow and Silver as distraction. He hated variables he could do nothing about and so immersed himself in paper work to try and think about it. A while after he started doing the paper work, which included even sections for how one of the pilots went MIA for no reason, his intercom buzzed, saying his son was here and ready to be spoken to. He hid some of the papers and assumed the usual position of hands crossed in front of his mouth after opening his office's door.

Shinji entered, still clad in his plugsuit and with the Section 02 agent that got him right behind him. Gendo expected him in his usual school attire or in a hospital gown for some reason. But what surprised Gendo the most was the fact Shinji was glaring at him. He was actually glaring at him. He was also looking better than he expected and if the situation was different he probably would have commented on it. What he did instead was clear his throat and look at his son straight in the eye with his sternest face.

"Well," He uncrossed his fingers to straighten his glasses before putting both hands in front of his mouth again, "Disregarding orders from a superior officer. Abandoning your piloting post in the middle of a battle. Hiding a crucial asset and information like your little Chaos Emerald. And then giving it to an enemy of NERV. Those are all criminal actions."

Shinji glared at him harder.

Of course he didn't show he was surprised at that, "Do you have anything to say?"

"How about you, father?"

"…?"

"Ordering me to fight knowing the Angel still had my friend. Using my own hands to try to kill my friend. Using the Eva's auto pilot or whatever to really kill- you _would have_ killed him had I not saved him."

Shinji said all that in a surprisingly calm state, though he seemed to be making an effort to not stutter or slur his words for some reason. More than that, he spoke all of it as he took slow small steps towards his father, now being only a few meters away from him and his desk.

"Do _you_ have anything to say?"

Gendo dismissed how what Shinji was appearing to be feeling right now was hatred, taking it as mere tantrum anger, "I've no time for your whining. I'm the one asking the questions here."

Shinji then _moved._ Gendo didn't realize what was happening until the Section 02 agent standing nearby had the boy held by both of his wrists with two arms, restraining him. Still, one of Shinji's fists stopped only about three inches away from his nose, barely held back by the black suit that brought him in.

"LET GO OF ME!" Shinji screamed as the Section 02 agent struggled with him, still holding his wrists.

"Sorry kid, but stopping people from hurting him is part of my job too."

His son tried to punch him. Shinji actually tried to punch him. Would have probably succeeded if not for the Section 02 agent that brought Shinji in.

 _I should have had him cuffed._

"You hate me for things that aren't my fault you bastard! I didn't want my mother to die either!"

Gendo said nothing but now the screaming boy, still being restrained by the black suited man, had his full attention.

"You threw me away like trash! Brought me back only because I had a use! Would talk to me only when I did said use! No different than a goddamn tool!"

"…"

"And you couldn't care less about me or anything about me! YOU WOULD HAVE KILLED MY FRIEND WITH MY OWN HANDS!"

He stopped struggling somewhat, Gendo fought off a facial twitch.

"Did I remind you mother is dead?!", now Shinji focused only on screaming, "Well, I HATE YOU right back you BASTARD! I hate you too! I HATE YOU!"

Gendo stood up with the intent of grounding him to base, some sort of military punishment, but Shinji wasn't done yet.

"I don't EVER wanna see you again! If it wasn't for Asuka I would leave all this- leave you and NEVER come back! I would hope an Angel would squash you like the disgusting bug YOU ARE! I _can't believe_ I tried to _kill myself_ because of a _bastard_ like YOU!"

That gave him and his father the pause they both needed. Gendo breathed, actually surprised but once again apt at not showing it, and Shinji panted. He didn't say anything else so Gendo narrowed his eyes and straightened his glasses, "You-"

"DON'T!" Shinji breathed again and finally stopped screaming, but still spoke firmly, "Don't you ever talk to me again unless it's work! Do you understand me," finally some of the usual hesitation returned before he concluded, " _Commander Ikari_?!"

Gendo didn't miss the extra stress on the words 'commander Ikari'. He didn't miss how his son actually managed to piss him off either.

(SGE)

He had calmed down somewhat when he was told Kensuke was okay; his friend would be okay and taken to NERV's hospital. He even agreed to be put in jail due to what he did, leaving his Eva with Chaos Control in the middle of a battle. But the hatred he felt when he realized what his father had done, back when he was talking to Sonic outside of the Eva, returned full force when his father- when the Commander confronted him the way he did. He boiled beyond comprehension when the commander didn't even show any remorse or seemed to care at all about what he had done. Of course he exploded, of course he spouted everything that was building up, probably ever since he found out the Commander hated him.

The scariest of it all was, even though he felt bittersweet in his mouth and in his chest right now, he also felt proud; he was glad he had finally burned this cursed bridge for good. He was glad he stood up against him and told him the truth Instead of just running away, like he probably would if Asuka wasn't there. He was finally free of the ghost of his neglectful abandoning bastard of a father. Could treat his father like he deserved to be treated. In his mind, he saw Sonic grinning at him, giving him thumbs up as he dished his father the way he just did. It didn't even matter the he didn't manage to punch him like he so badly wanted, being stopped by the burly man in a suit that brought him to his father.

"You are relieved of duty until further notice Third Child," Which made it all the more surprising when his father snarled that out from gritted teeth. Eyes narrowed behind the dark glasses.

He blinked, "Huh?" Did the commander really just told him he couldn't pilot anymore?

"Your disobedience and your post abandonment have granted you relief of your duties as pilot and confinement to quarters." He stood up, almost banging his hands on his table and straightening his glasses, "Let's also add insubordination to the list of offenses while we're at it."

Shinji snorted, glaring again and feeling the same heat of hatred and anger of before. _Of course you're uncaring even when you're mad, but are you really grounding me just for telling you the truth?!_

"Your childish glaring is only adding to you-"

" _I'm_ being childish?" He turned to walk away, ignoring his father and the burly man in a black suit he left behind. As he was passing by the giant oval office's door he mustered all the courage he had, "Fuck you Commander."

If his father- the commander or the other guy showed any reaction or said anything, he didn't know, walking out of there extra fast.

(SGE)

Kensuke awoke while hearing distant mumblings that sounded like 'your visit is an exception so you have five minutes'. He checked his arms and legs again, like he did the first time he awoke, being ever so glad he still had all of his limbs and that he seemed generally okay. When he looked to the side, finally focusing on something else other than himself, he saw the blurred image of Shinji, Toji and Hikari. He reached for his glasses, on top of the small cupboard by the side of his bed to put them on. Then he smiled when the image of his three friends was no longer blurred.

"Hey guys."

Toji smiled back at him, "You're a real hero dude."

Kensuke knew he was smiling more at the fact Toji and Hikari were holding hands than at the fact Toji just recognized his awesomeness. "Thanks. And I'm happy for you Toji."

Toji blinked, "Why are you-" he stopped short upon noticing his and Hikari's hands holding each other, noticing that's what Kensuke saw, "Ah… that… I mean, it's not, um…" he and Hikari blushed and looked away from each other, both of them equal shades of bright red.

Kensuke laughed, "Okay, okay, don't you two hurt yourselves." Then he looked at Shinji.

He had a very worried and somewhat hurt expression on his face, "…I… Um…"

"You've nothing to apologize for Shinji."

"Huh?"

"I wanted this. I wanted it so badly."

"…"

"So yeah, this is all on me. I was _that_ wrong," he gestured with both his hands to emphasize the scope of how wrong he was, "I don't ever wanna go through any of that ever again. It ain't worth it. Going into _actual combat_ wouldn't be as bad as this was," now he gestured his hospitalized body, "But, yeah, this is definitely not for me…"

Shinji looked even more worried and hurt, "Kensuke…"

Kensuke felt uncomfortable, struggling to not remember, "It talked to me Shinji. Not with words but it still talked to me. It spoke about 'union' and stuff like that. And I actually felt like I was losing myself before I passed out. I was never so scared before in my life…"

Shinji said nothing, just approaching him more.

"I don't know how you do it man." Kensuke finally smiled weakly at him, "You're awesome."

Shinji smiled, "I'm glad I managed to save you." His face suddenly went stern, as stern as his gentle face could be, and he crossed his arms, "And you're right in leaving all of this behind you. Everyone you'd answer to would see you just as a pilot. Just as a tool. _Everyone!_ "

Kensuke's worry returned, "Shinji…"

"It's just the truth Kensuke. And if it wasn't for Asuka I'd-" he cut himself off, apparently remembering something, "For Asuka and for all the people I can save, I'd leave too."

Kensuke sighed, "And to think my biggest problem will be showing up in school again, explaining anyone that asks how pathetic my experience was…"

Toji snickered, "Don't you think you can use that under the right angle to get a girl, dude?"

Hikari blushed, Shinji looked troubled and before Kensuke could answer the nurse had returned, gathering the attention of all four teens. Apparently the five minutes were already up.

(SGE)

Keel could actually feel the frustration rise up from within him, "And that is all you're going to say to explain yourself, Robotnik?"

The holographic image of Robotnik feigned innocence, "I don't know what else you could possibly want from me master Chairman. Maybe I DID plan on betraying you but your dear Ikari betrayed you first."

SEELE 02 boomed then, "You two have moved your own personal agendas undermining ours! Undermining the very betterment of our species!"

"Irrelevant," Ikari then spoke on the other end of the holographic construction and directly ahead of Robotnik, "Adam is still with NERV. There have been no setbacks to the instrumentality program."

Keel sneered, "Except that it will now be triggered by you personally? The godhood provided by knowledge and wisdom was meant for all of humanity, Rokubunji. Not a single man's personal agenda." He addressed Robotnik then, "And you would use the knowledge you have attained since arriving here to try and do the same?"

Robotnik shrugged, "Not like I succeeded." He straightened his glasses and nodded once, "And I am aware that you have frozen my assets; the 'Bank of Golden Eggs' has been trusted to another upcoming international banker when it was, ahem, _conveniently_ leaked to the press that Ovi Kintobor, Julian Ivo and Kintobor Robotnik were fake personas. I tried to take from you; it's only fair you take from me. Still-"

Gendo narrowed his eyes at Robotnik as he cut him off. "He's hiding within the most sacred, hence unmonitored, area of the Geofront."

There was a general gasp among all other six members of the committee. Only Keel remained silent. Robotnik just grinned.

"You're under analysis here as much as he is Ikari," Keel calmed everyone down by projecting authority again, "Don't speak unless spoken to. Robotnik," He turned to face hologram of the red clad mustached doctor again, "Are you aware that Lilith, the fruit of wisdom, can intake anything around her?"

Robotnik was still grinning, "I can take care of myself master chairman," He straightened his glasses, "Aren't you too worried about someone that betrayed you?"

"That's what I wish to understand. Why would you contact us if you know we'd be out to get you?"

"Other than to keep my honor intact and admit to my actions?" Robotnik grin went wider, flashing more of his teeth at Gendo. "To tell you that Commander Ikari has taken the fruit of knowledge for himself, gentlemen."

There was another collective gasp from all committee members except Keel, this time directed at Gendo, even though he couldn't see because from his perspective they were just the usual numbered monoliths except for Robotnik, as they were being show to Keel as well. The commander of NERV on the other hand remained stoic and very still.

Keel knew that the union of Adam and Lilith needed to take place only in the red moon ceremony and any time before that would mean the end of their plans. But he also knew this sort of betrayal would simply kill Ikari. He obviously had something else in mind. And now that he had Adam grafted into him…

"Alright. We will take your positions into consideration and then act accordingly."

He pressed two buttons on his control panel, the ones that disconnected Ikari and Robotnik. The holograms for both of them vanished.

"Chairman, we cannot stand for this!" SEELE 02 boomed.

"We should have Ikari removed from command and moved into quarantine! Outside NERV HQ and close to us!" SEELE 03 spoke calmly as he usually did.

"And risk the children of Adam going for a reunion with their father elsewhere other than Terminal Dogma?" Keel shook his head as if the Monolith could see him and not just the SEELE 01 monolith. "Not only have the hedgehogs turned against us, but Robotnik also tried to claim our most valuable assets and now has a goal that we don't understand. The mobians were more trouble than they were worth, yes. But neither we nor Ikari, nor anyone could have known that."

"Are you saying we should move only against the mobians, leaving Ikari on his bloodied throne?" SEELE 02 asked again.

"Unworthy as he is of claiming godhood, we have not much choice in that matter, since four children of Adam still remain and we still need NERV and the Evangelions to fight them off. Their Evas are obsolete either way."

"How do you mean?" asked SEELE 04.

Keel knew all they could see was a black monolith with SEELE 01 on it but grinned nonetheless, "Trust me gentlemen, the Mass Production series Evangelions are everything that we hoped for and more. And we still have two major factors working for us: Inspector Kaji and my son."

SEELE 04 hesitated but continued, "The inspector will warn us on any further hindrances on Ikari's part, yes?"

"Yes. And will get us more information, probably through the vice commander and in less than amicable ways. I will also suggest we unleash my son right away."

There was a silence in the monolith filled dark chamber and it was SEELE 02 that found the courage to speak again "Aren't there still three messengers before the one of free will?"

"Between what Ikari was forced to do because of the mobians and the fact those same mobians are now roaming freely, I'd say we need all precaution we can have," Keel answered immediately, anticipating what his fellow committees would say, "If the final messenger, my child, fails as well, we will simply hit NERV with everything we still have." He cleared his throat and rattled his old bones before concluding, "I also suggest that, as further hindrance against the mobians, we should also make public knowledge the hedgehogs, the mobians attacked NERV security, thus aiding Robotnik, a now criminal wanted for bank fraud, in whatever dark goal he had."

"Do you think the UN will buy these creatures are actually evil with all the good press they have gained?" SEELE 05 spoke for the first time in a while.

"It's worth a shot. Remember that public opinion is the most swayed and most worthless thing of this world, gentlemen. One of the reasons our sacred work is so important. There are no divergences of opinion with a 'one' conscience."

And with that he turned off the holographic chamber, thus ending the conference. He turned slowly, once again ratling his bones, cursing his old age yet again, to face the other console near him. He beeped his intercom, drawing attention of the several doctors always at his disposal, "It's me. Get me Doctor Eisenhower."

There was a momentary pause that couldn't have lasted more than five seconds.

"Chairman, you called for me?" answered the doctor's voice Keel was already very familiar with.

"There's been a slight change of plans. We're going to have to wake him up now."

(SGE)

Misato moved and thought like a robot the whole way home, driving and moving on auto pilot. It wasn't until they were in front of the exit of the Geofront, about to go outside and back into the city that she actually managed to speak again.

"Well Shinji-kun, this is where you're dropped off," she said as she pulled the car over.

Also on auto pilot her ward got out of her car after giving Asuka one longing glance.

Misato managed to smile, "Oh don't you love birds worry, Shinji's confinement to the Geofront is only for one more day. You'll be back home in no time, even though Shinji's relief of duty will still be in effect."

Her ward looked at her with a neutral expression.

She sighed, "Still can't believe it though. First you take the fault for Asuka and now you actually dish the Commander?"

Shinji's right eye twitched.

Misato blinked, "Okay I'm not saying he didn't do anything but still… you were supposed to obey, Shinji-kun. You could have saved Kensuke-kun some other way…"

Now there was a frown actually threatening to form in his face.

Misato smiled in spite of herself. _It's nice when he shows signs of a normal teenager._

"Anyway, remember this situation is only temporary, Shinji-kun. We'll see you soon."

Shinji surprised both girls in the car then; he leaned in to kiss Asuka. No peck on the lips either, he kissed her as if he owned her.

Misato couldn't help herself, she whistled melodically.

But then she blinked as Shinji walked away.

 _Did… did he just glare at me?_

"I think he's kind of pissed at you too Misato," said a still blushing Asuka.

She looked at her and laughed, waving dismissively, "Nah that can't be it. This is Shinji we're talking about Asuka. Pretty much every other teen tells their father that they hate them."

Asuka scowled but let it go, because she said nothing else and just gazed out the open window as they drove to the tram that would take them back up to Tokyo 03.

(SGE)

Invincibility. He felt elated as the power coursed his entire being and exalted at the golden light he was emanating as he hovered in mid-air with all seven Chaos emeralds spinning around him as if he was a giant atom or something along those lines.

 _Funny how not even in our super form we are able to absorb the Chaos Emeralds, instead they resonate all around us. Yet Shinji managed to keep the purple one hidden for days._

"You were right Shadow. Going Super here feels even better than in our original Universe. Not to mention the seven Emeralds spinning around us looks pretty cool!" He grinned at his fellow hedgehog, "Even cooler on me than on you!"

Shadow grunted, "Do you have to hide with us?! I thought this safe house was already crowded with just me and Silver."

"Hey!" Silver snapped.

Sonic ignored both of them, "Seriously guys," His grin grew wider, flashing his teeth along with more golden light, "I think we can even use them as deflectors in this form!" The emeralds around him moved even faster and seemingly in sync with how he waved his arms, "Cool!"

Shadow groaned, "Can't you just hide where you were hiding before?"

Sonic finally acknowledged their presence again shaking his head, "No can do. Kensuke has been through enough trouble as it is. And _with_ him is the first place NERV will look for me. For us." His golden color died down and his feet touched back at the ground slowly and graciously, "By the way: Nice job setting a hide-out guys. We're gonna need it to fight the types of villains we find here."

Silver scratched his chin, "The old men are holding all the cards. Not much we can do against the Instrumentality. Or Third Impact or whatever it's called."

Shadow narrowed his eyes, "There are people here who don't want the world to end. And I think that if we guarantee Shinji is not one who wants the world to end, we'll be safe."

Silver nodded, "I agree. Given the right stimulus he can fight anything. Not given anything at all he'll be… well, like he was at the future we saw."

All three hedgehogs shared an uncomfortable silence before Silver spoke again.

"How did he manage to use an Emerald as well as us anyway?"

Sonic shrugged, "I don't know dude. All I know is that he mentioned Mephiles."

Shadow narrowed his eyes as Silver widened his.

Sonic waved dismissively, "He didn't say anything other than that. He also managed to use Chaos Control. And very well at that, 'cause he went straight to Kensuke. He also managed to absorb the Chaos Emerald into himself, unlike us."

Shadow appeared thoughtful, "It seems Chaos Energy also works differently for you if you're a native of this universe."

Silver walked up closer to Sonic, "Can I try now?"

The other two hedgehogs nodded and Sonic said, "I don't see why you _wouldn't_ be able to go super like we just did Silver, but yeah sure, go for it. It's a different rush, and what a rush it is!"

(SGE)

He was free. He couldn't believe he was actually free. And so early in the game too. He was trotting along extra happily, hands in pockets and smile on his face. The old men being edgy over what happened with the last Angel, the Second Branch in Nevada and everything that the outsiders had been doing combined with Gendo wanting a reserve for Unit 02 after the Second Child had been absorbed by it actually granted him his release from the usual glass tube. Couple that with the fact the so called Dummy System was done for and Robotnik's betrayal was among the things the outsiders did, of course he could move about freely, because everyone else was worrying about other matters.

 _Never knew the cowardice of the old men and Gendo's relentlessness combined would grant me an early freedom. It's a shame I have to stay hidden and talk only to the old men for a while._

 _No problem there of course, since I technically don't need to sleep or to eat, but when I finally get to go off to school, finally see everybody and Shinji-kun…_

His heart actually fluttered at the thought, even though such an event was probably still a few days away. But then he came across the plateau he was looking for, that held the two presences he felt from afar and was able to track ever since he woke up.

 _But first I need to watch this. This should be most amusing._

It was a deserted field just in the outskirts of Tokyo 03. With the dim afternoon sun, everything in the plateau seemed deader than usual. Or maybe that was because one of the entities he had been tracking was already there. Its dark cobalt spiked skin in tuned darkness with the bleak landscape around him.

It was talking to itself. Or to some layman it would appear that way but he could actually track the different wavelengths of the conversation, he could actually hear what it was talking to and to what. One voice was out of nothing but imposing and all existing, no other way to describe it. While the cobalt colored one's voice was calm and collected, but most of all eerie.

" **So you really wish to be parted from me, Mephiles?"**

"Yes. And there is nothing you can do about it. By the time this universe is sealed from you completely I will be long gone."

" **It was always through you that I came to the dimensions."**

"Indeed. But now I have realized I have a choice. And if it wasn't for the risk of my actions here actually opening the door into this universe to you, I would kill the Angels and Gendo Ikari myself."

" **I see that your heart is set in parting from me."**

"That's all you're going to say to me?"

" **We do what we are meant to do."**

Mephiles crossed his arms, actually appearing annoyed, "Must be nice being mindless…"

And with that, the imposing and all existing presence was gone. Completely gone as if the connection that maintained it in this universe was thin and fragile. That prompted the cobalt hedgehog to actually turn and face him. Face he who watched the whole exchange still smiling and interested.

"Tabris of Free Will. Or should that be… Kaworu?" He didn't move to say it and Kaworu thought it was so interesting that it knew who he was just by looking at him, even more interesting it had no mouth on its muzzle.

"Hello Mephiles," Kaworu's smile grew wider and he nodded, "Or should I say… Death?"

"What do you want?"

Kaworu gestured dismissively, "I am merely enjoying my new found freedom. Much like you are it seems."

Mephiles made an annoyed snort and said nothing. If anything it made Kaworu smiled more.

"May we talk? I always enjoy talking to outsiders."


	13. Unforgivable

**Chapter 13:** _ **Unforgivable**_

She got up again and felt the divine exhaustion as she stretched. It amazed her how much he could work her; outright _give it_ to her in just the time they were allowed together. It amazed her how such a scrawny slim body had so much energy. She smiled to the side, feeling her face flushing.

 _I guess my looks give him that kind of energy…_

She lost her smile and the heat on her cheeks upon looking at his back again. She could tell that he was awake too, but looking away from her.

 _Okay, I can't ignore this any longer…_

"Don't you think this is a bit much Shinji?"

A slight movement of his head was the only indication she got that he heard her.

"I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm _very_ happy you finally found the guts to break Misato's stupid 'don't sleep in the same room' rule but…"

Again, he said nothing. This time he didn't even move.

"Shinji, it's been almost a week already. Kensuke's fine. And so are you. Even Misato's arm healed nicely. Don't you think this is a bit too much?"

"…?"

"It's already been five days and all that we have been doing is having sex in your room."

"I wanna be with _you,_ Asuka."

Asuka blinked.

"There's no one else. No _place_ else either I'd rather be. If it wasn't for you I wouldn't even be here anymore."

Asuka felt warm all over but at the same time it was weird hearing that from the one you liked while he had his back to you. Not to mention it was a bit unsettling that he'd leave the war for humanity's survival if it wasn't for her.

"You feel the same way right?"

"Well, yeah but… I still like being a pilot."

"But it's for yourself isn't it?"

"I… I want to be praised for it… I mean praise myself."

"There you go. You shouldn't even pilot if it is for the people here."

Now Asuka grimaced, "Excuse me, stupid Shinji?"

Now he finally turned to look at her, "Your superiors are murderers Asuka. They would kill Hikari just as easily as they would have killed Kensuke had I not saved him."

Asuka felt a chill run down her spine because of how stoic he looked and sounded as he said that and her grimace became a pained expression, "Shinji…"

"Don't ever think they see you as more than a pilot. I'm the only one that does that."

Asuka looked at him, a sliver of doubt in her features, "You see me as just a person?"

He nodded, "I love you Asuka." And approached his face to hers.

She bit her lip, hesitant. "I… I-"

Shinji's door slid open.

(SGE)

Misato shook her head, scowling in shock at the first thing she saw, even though she was kind of prepared for it, knew what it would be.

She shook her head, more to clear it than in disapproval, "See, I knew it. Asuka this is _Shinji's_ room. What did I tell you kids about sleeping in the same room?"

"DAMN IT! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" Asuka screamed with a bright red face as she used the covers to hide her breasts.

"Don't pin this on me Asuka, you two are the ones who are naked. Together. In the same bed."

"Why do you assume she is the one that asked to be here?"

Misato blinked at the same neutral expression Shinji had been showing her during the days he was relieved of duty. Of course Misato didn't agree fully with the commander's decision, after all Shinji was just being like every other teenager in existence, saying he hates his father. Not to mention he succeeded in saving Kensuke while the Dummy System defeated the Angel. But she still had to act like the grown up here in the house.

She sighed, almost grimacing at Shinji, "Your conduct is already under scrutiny, Shinji-kun. You shouldn't go challenging rules as it stands. You two haven't even been to school the past two days, have you?"

Both teens said nothing; there was nothing but the sound of clothes being put back on.

Misato scratched the back of her neck, "It's just… look I'm happy you two are so into each other and are happy together and all of that, but you can't go around screwing like animals in heat, alright. Try at least to be discrete?"

"Oh for the love of- _you're_ asking for discretion Misato?! Really?! Look at what you're wearing right now!"

Misato snorted, "The shorts and the t-shirt is my classic 'stay at home' attire Asuka. I'm not parading around naked."

Shinji surprised her and Asuka then; "Just because Kaji isn't here."

Misato blinked. Even more surprising was the fact Shinji still looked stoic as he said it. Being already fully dressed for school he stepped out. Before going out of sight he smiled at Asuka again.

"I'll see you outside," with that, he left to be near the front door.

Misato couldn't really say anything else as both teens got ready to go to school. Not after Shinji pretty much called her a whore. Not only that, for the past few days he has been at home, Misato could swear he was avoiding eye contact with her and speaking to her only when spoken to.

 _Come on, don't think like that. He's just still upset because of what happened to Kensuke._

…

 _I think I can rectify that._

"Well you kids have a nice day." She said smiling, approaching the porch.

Asuka scowled and just left with a humph while Shinji gave her passage and as he was about to walk right behind her…

"Shinji-kun, wait."

…but Misato stopped him, right at the porch by all the shoes. He was still avoiding eye contact with her for some reason, though he half turned to face her.

She scratched her arm, "You know Shinji I figured since what happened with Kensuke a few days ago, we haven't really had time to spend together or something. You, me and Asuka."

He was still not looking at her. His face neutral, almost stoic.

It was rare for Misato to have a hard time with words, but she really didn't have any idea how to approach this situation, "I was thinking maybe, we could go eat outside, someplace nice because… well, I just wanted to do something for you and Asuka… that is…"

Shinji still seemed as neutral and stoic as the start of the conversation, "Are you done?"

Misato still had the same hesitant smile. She hesitantly nodded.

"I thought not looking you in the eye, not talking to you would be enough to clarify the message, apparently it wasn't…"

Misato blinked, her smile faltering.

He finally looked at her again, looked into her eyes, still with the same stoic expression, "I hated you, Misato…"

Misato's smile vanished and she took a small step back, which felt like a large recoil, a recoil from what felt like a physical blow. Did the sweet, shy and lonely boy she had taken in really just admitted hating her?

"From the moment you chose to prioritize your work, your thirst for vengeance over Kensuke, I hated you. I hated you when I realized there's nothing you won't do to see the death of the monsters that killed your father."

Shinji kept his stoic face and mannerism throughout his speech. He wasn't even frowning. That made what he was saying even heavier. Misato edged back even more as she realized this was actually happening.

"Back when Asuka was absorbed into Unit 02 after killing the Shadow Angel and you said I couldn't know about it. And then having to have heard Kensuke was the pilot of Unit 03 from my girlfriend, even though you were right there and still tried to justify not telling me something like that…"

"S-Shinji-kun, I-"

"And then," he almost snapped, cutting her off, implying he wasn't done. "I had to find a way to save Kensuke by myself."

"I was injured!" Only now she realized her voice was high pitched, "Your father was the one that-"

"There it is again, see?" He pointed at her, cutting her off again, before continuing, "You just transfer responsibility with me to other factors. Even when I was just starting this out, and I ran away for the first time, all you did was explain how I had to obey you. You would never tell me something like 'Asuka might be dead'. You would never tell me anything that might jeopardize my state of mind."

Misato almost said that back then she would have told him to just leave and forget all about NERV but she couldn't. Because he just kept speaking his heart out. His hate and his woes filling every word.

"You prefer to omit, to lie about it. And I couldn't help but wonder _why_ you do that."

"I-" Again, Misato was hesitating. She bit her lip, "I was just trying to protect you!"

"Bullshit."

Misato edged back again, feeling even more appalled he just cursed, another thing she never heard from him before.

"The real answer, the only answer, is that you were afraid I would get scared and run off like I did the first time and not pilot your stupid machine anymore, not want to kill the Angels, kill the monsters you hate so much anymore."

Shinji still wasn't moving, he was just standing there at her door just outside the porch, stoically while speaking, all the while not even frowning. Just the same expressionless face. But she kept recoiling back as if each sentence from him was a physical discharge, a strike to her chest; eventually she had her back against a wall of her apartment.

"I lost my mother when I was four. You don't see me being a monster willing to do anything to avenge her like my father, or like you."

Finally, some body language indicating he wasn't frozen in place, even if he just looked and gestured at her, making the pain he was causing her more prominent.

"You and my father don't give a damn about me."

"That's not true! Shinji I-"

"You DON'T!" Shinji interrupted her harshly before his stoic demeanor returned, "You don't give a damn about _me_! All you care about is killing the Angels, so all you care about is _the pilot of Unit 01_!"

 _That's not true!_

Misato almost said it again instead of just thinking it, but her throat felt closed. Besides, there was no trace of deceit in his firm voice or his stoic eyes as he said that. This was the first time Misato saw him being this spontaneous and open.

"You and the commander just care about killing the monsters who took important people from you and you two would do anything, _anything_ , to destroy them. No one- nothing else matters."

Misato was already fighting back the sorrow that was threatening to break through her, ripping her apart making her crumble down and pouring out of her eyes. It was almost too much when his stoic expression was gone and he glared at her as he finished that last sentence.

He downcast his eyes again, looking away from her as he finally concluded, "Please don't talk to me again unless it's work…"

He walked away, opened the door of the apartment, stepped out and then slammed it behind him. As that same door closed behind him, Misato finally crumbled, her bottom touched the ground as her legs folded like rubber and she didn't realize tears were coming out until they dripped from her face and down to the floor.

(SGE)

Asuka was horrified. Horrified.

On one hand, she was glad to see a moment where her boyfriend showed a little spine and spunk, since those were extremely rare, but on the other much more prominent and important hand, she was terrified he had just broken their legal guardian beyond repair. She knew Misato well enough to know that she actually _did_ care about Shinji, and what he just did to her was cruel. So she just stood there with her mouth open as Shinji left the house and started going to school.

"Asuka?" he asked her when he noticed she wasn't walking alongside him, "Asuka what's wrong?"

If anything, Asuka was even more surprised he looked at her puzzled, as if he had never even had the stoic expression he was just wearing as he put Misato in her place. His face was normal and he sounded genuinely confused, as if nothing had happened.

She walked up to him, "Holy shit, Shinji!"

Now he seemed worried too, "What?"

"You- you just… I mean…" She shook her head, "Nothing, let's go." And walked right past him.

As they left the apartment complex, Asuka relented and let him hold her hand as they usually did during the first half of the way to school the other two stooges were not around.

Today something was different though, "Shinji?"

"Hmm?"

She blushed and looked away. What was wrong with her that she was already having sex regularly with him, she even cut school to do it, but something this simple made her embarrassed? Maybe it was just the effect he had on her? Or was it the decision she had just made? "You wanna… hold hands to school?"

Shinji blinked, "You mean… _all_ the way to school?"

She nodded, still blushing.

He smiled but still said, "People will notice we're being closer than usual."

"Hikari knows. So does the First. And I'm pretty sure you blabbed to other people too."

He was suddenly alarmed, "I didn't-"

She waved her free hand, cutting him off, "Point is: I'm revoking rule number two. Don't go blabbing to everyone you know but… let's not hide anymore okay?"

His smile was bright and his face beamed as he nodded, "Okay."

They walked a little more, being almost there now, "What changed your mind, Asuka?"

She looked away.

 _I talked to Hikari and I realized it was stupid to "hide" you because of how happy you make me and how much I ended up needing you. Plus I could never bear for you to hate me. Especially now that I know how you treat the women you hate…_

"Asuka?"

"Nothing you idiot," she lied smoothly, "I just- well shouldn't a good girlfriend let go of her embarrassment issues? Especially after… being intimate?"

Now it was his turn to blush and look away. Still smiling, he asked, "How does talking about that stuff still gets to us? Even now that we're… you know…" His face went even redder.

So did hers, "I don't know, you idiot. We have that effect on each other I guess."

He smiled at her and held her hand tighter, "I hope that never changes."

Still blushing, she returned the smile and the grip, "Let's just go."

(SGE)

Rei was looking out the window, completely tuning out everyone and everything as she usually did in school. She noticed what was important: Comments about how pilot Sohryu arrived at school holding hands with Shinji caught her attention for some reason and she also heard about a new student arriving today. Other mundane things included how Kensuke was back from the hospital and Shinji still felt protective towards him.

She simply dismissed as she always did those kinds of mundane unimportant things but when it was finally time for the teacher to introduce the new student, she was instantly very attentive and focused for some reason. The only other times where she had been this focused was when there was an Angel battle. Never before had she been this focused on something that was not an Angel.

"Well, come in. Introduce yourself."

After the teacher's slow declaration in his usual tired voice, _he_ walked right in, as if he owned the whole classroom. As if he owned the whole world. His smile was small, subtle, but a beautiful smile nonetheless. Hands on the pockets and laid back, everything about him yelled calmness and tranquility.

So then, why was she feeling an immeasurable apprehension and focusing on him as if he was a threat?

"Hello everyone. I am Nagisa Kaworu. It is very nice to know all of you and I hope we get along fine."

Nobody could be more polite than that if they tried. He said it smoothly, a voice like velvet, after writing his name on the board. Another thing Rei noticed was that it seemed he wasn't done speaking just yet.

"I wish I could sit down with you all today." he shrugged. "Unfortunately, that is not going to happen. Not today at least."

Rei blinked. She wasn't alone in that either. The whole class seemed confused at what the newcomer just said. Even more confused when he looked to the classroom's speaker system.

It blared suddenly, signaling the evacuation alert. Nagisa was the only one in the class that didn't jump or showed some kind of surprise at the alarm. Her phone rang and she was pretty sure Shinji's and Sohryu's also rang.

Rei understood then. _He knew. He's…_

She couldn't bring herself to finish the thought. Instead she simply stood up and went towards her duty. As she passed the newcomer, still standing by the board, she whispered.

"I can't let you succeed."

He directed his smile at her with his eyes closed, "I know you can't Miss Ayanami, but it won't be time for that for a while still." He waved her to the door, "Off you go now; you have work to do."

(SGE)

"Okay I am genuinely confused now," declared a frustrated Sonic to nobody in particular.

"For once we agree Sonic," Shadow grunted just a few paces away from him. "From our hide out all the way here, not even a single trace a giant monster is, or was, destroying the city."

Sonic scratched his head, "But, the alarm really sounded didn't it? There really was an Angel right?"

Shadow gave a slight shake of his head, "I don't know what happened either Sonic. Maybe this Angel is-"

"YOU GUYS!" Silver's voice, yelling at them from afar, cut them off suddenly. They both looked in his direction to see a very horrified Silver pointing downwards.

When they approached him real quick and not even having to get that close to him, they understood why. Silver was pointing at a giant crater. Round and at least five hundred meters in diameter. But most importantly. It wasn't possible to see the end of said crater. It was all darkness except for a small dot of light at the very end of the tunnel like destruction.

Sonic widened his eyes, Shadow narrowed his and Silver still looked horrified and open mouthed.

"So it um…" Sonic started hesitantly, "It's already down at the Geofront?"

Silver looked at them, eyes still horrified, "Did _it_ … do this with only one strike…?"

Sonic swallowed, "That… makes sense Silver. The alarm barely sounded and there's already a crater like this… not even Eggman's most terrible platforms ever made a mess like this…"

"Strongest Angel as of yet, hands down." Shadow declared suddenly, eyes still narrowed and getting the red and the teal Chaos Emeralds from his pouch, "We should transform."

Sonic nodded, reaching for his back pack and the purple, green and blue Chaos Emeralds inside it, "I hear that. Not even gonna argue. Silver?"

Silver nodded, already holding the white and the yellow Chaos Emeralds in his hands.

The jewels resonated and started floating. From their floating positions they flashed and started spinning around the hedgehogs as all three focused on it and on the amount of energy flowing all around them. Another flash of light later, the color blue had turned yellow, silver had turned white and black had turned gold. The seven colors of the chaos flew around then as the three of them hovered slightly above ground, thrumming with power.

Sonic grinned, "This Angel will regret doing this crater. He won't know what hit him."

At tremendous supersonic speed, the three hedgehogs dove down the crater, flying.

(SGE)

Asuka hated that she had to do this.

 _I really don't have a choice, do I? With Shinji being still grounded and only me and Wondergirl being deployed…_

She looked at her and Rei was still just standing there stoically as she always did, going up the platform to ride her Eva and sortie. Normally she would just ignore the freak but knowing how Shinji didn't have many people to approach and the situation he was currently in he could very well approach _her._

 _Why couldn't I do this at school or something? Just because Shinji was all over Kensuke for being safe?_ She sighed, which caught Rei's attention, somewhat. _Here goes nothing I guess…_

"Listen First," She started, "the Third-" she stopped herself, remembering Rei knew about her and Shinji, "Shinji is going through some stuff right now, but… don't you get any ideas!"

Rei blinked, "What kind of ideas would I get?"

Asuka groaned, "You really are THAT clueless, huh?" She shook her head, "Okay forget about that then. Point is, he's going through some stuff. Don't do anything I'd have to _hurt_ you over, got it?"

Rei was just staring at her with a neutral expression, "Is this about pilot Ikari's reason for being on leave of duty?"

Asuka blinked.

"His bout with the commander was-"

Asuka nodded and cut her off, "Yes I know, but more than that, he's going around telling more people other than his father that he hates them. I'm pretty sure he'd go seeking kindness from anybody that would give it to him too."

Asuka narrowed her eyes at her, staring directly into those red irises.

"So, again; don't get any ideas."

"I don't understand."

Asuka rolled her eyes. "Maybe it's better that you don't."

Rei hesitated but spoke again, keeping her expression neutral, "I'm not… 'anybody that would offer him kindness', I'm his friend."

Now Asuka narrowed her eyes, "I doubt he needs friendship from the likes of you."

"We have interacted before. Just as normal friends do. So, what do you mean from the likes of me?"

Still scowling, Asuka tossed a mesh of her hair, "From a doll!"

"I am not a doll."

Asuka grinned, "Hah, that's a good one! You never show any will of your own! I bet if the commander ordered you to kill yourself, you'd do it!"

"Of course." Rei shrugged.

Something inside Asuka snapped when Rei so casually announced she'd just take her own life so simply and…

SLAP!

…her open handed arm moved before she realized.

She recoiled from her, her left hand rubbing against the palm that struck Rei. She suppressed the action of apologizing to her. Her mouth quivered, "I… I…"

Rei kept her stoic expression, even with the red mark on her cheek. "…"

She looked away. It suddenly hit her that Shinji may have been even braver than she thought with how easily he could apologize. How easily he would have apologized just now.

"I'm… s-sorry… but look, you shouldn't casually dismiss your life like that, alright?"

Neither of them said anything else as the Evas came into view.

(SGE)

Sonic noticed something interesting: Just as the emeralds moved around them and at their will to some extent, with the Chaos Energy overflowing all around them, pulsating in a golden aura that enveloped him, Shadow and Silver, his own body and the bodies of Shadow and Silver were also in sync. As long as they moved with certain synchronization they could maintain the energy levels, even though they were in their invulnerable forms. Sonic noticed that they also knew it as well as he did, for they were trying to keep up the same synchronization with him.

In no time they were down the huge crater and they saw the Angel's back. Black and sliding down, a pointy edge instead of legs, white shoulder pads and a bulky build with no head.

"Let's take a better look at it," said Silver.

Again thinking in sync, the three hedgehogs flew around the giant creature, becoming synchronized lightning bolts that went around the giant monster hovering down. It was then that they saw it. There was an ugly exposed rib cage partially protecting a red sphere, the core on its chest. All on a very imposing bulky body with metallic like indentations below the shoulder pads, seen only through the front of the Angel. But it was the face (if you could even call it a face) that terrified Sonic the most.

 _Which is odd, because in this form I am virtually indestructible_ , _I shouldn't be afraid of anything…_

And yet the monstrous skull like mask the Angel had for a face still sent shivers down his spiked spine.

He and his fellow super hedgehogs didn't have any time to ponder on it though: A volley of giant bullets made a continuous stream of destruction towards the Angel. A stream of destruction that even them in their super forms had to hover above in order to avoid. Dozens of thousands of giant bullets were being deflected by the Angel's AT field by the time they looked back and saw Unit 02 firing with a weapon in each hand.

(SGE)

"WHY THE HELL ISN'T HIS AT FIELD DEPLETING?!"

Asuka screamed in frustration over her com unit as she just emptied the second pair of weapons, this time missile launchers, at the rapidly approaching monstrosity that didn't slow down, didn't even show any reaction to her efforts. It was bad enough Wondergirl was not there with her; something about Unit 01 rejecting her was commented. With Shinji relieved of duty and the First's 'rejection' or whatever she was the only line of defense down at the Geofront.

SWO-SWOSH! SP-SPLAT!

And now that line of defense no longer had arms.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The gargantuan red members still holding the smoking giant guns flew upwards as Asuka screamed, grabbing her own shoulders. Only now she noticed metal blade like and paper thin members had extended from the Angel, faster then she could react, or even see. She heard the fountain of blood her shoulders were spurting out, eerily in sync with the pain in her own shoulders.

 _Blame your own high sync ratio for that one Asuka…_

She shook her head and glared at her target, right ahead of her.

 _Come on you ugly fuck! I'm still game!_

The now armless Unit 02 DASHED! Feeling an immeasurable amount of focus and anger combined with the pain still searing her shoulders due to the hacking off of her Eva's arms, the distance between her and her target that was now hovering slightly above the Geofront's ground. She couldn't fail. Not with Shinji still away from duty. She couldn't die on Shinji either. Whether it was because of that determination or because of how focused she was, she managed to dodge the next attack. One that would have surely severed her head.

"HAH!" She huffed out as she got back up from the ground roll that saved her neck…

PAAAAANNNG!

…only to have her face smash against a very powerful and very thick AT field.

 _No wonder the guns didn't do Shit! There's no way I can break through this with no arms!_

Regardless, she kept pressing her face against the impassable wall, grinding her feet against the ground, pretty much wrestling with the Angel's AT field, pushing, struggling.

The Angel's AT field began shattering. However…

SWOSH! SPLAT!

… she felt the beginning of pain in her neck followed swiftly by the feeling of synchronization fleeing her.

Though the pain in her neck and her shoulders remained, relief flooded her when she was no longer feeling her Eva. That relief was short lived though, because all that just happened came crashing down on her, smashing her spirit and making her hunch over in frustration.

 _Seriously Asuka! You know better than this! You're a better pilot than this!_

 _Your boyfriend is in the crapper so you confront the First like some jealous airhead for NO REASON?!_

 _And then the stupid doll weirds you out so you go and get horribly trashed like this?!_

 _What were you even doing talking to stupid Wondergirl ANYWAY?! Why did you even THINK Shinji would go for her?! Why did you even CARE Shinji trash talked Misato like he did?!_

She could hear and feel her teeth being gritted against one another as she thought all of that in the red darkness of her plug. And though she tried pinning this on others, the truth of the situation was evident in every way: She was beaten. Her frustration built up inside her as she hunched over even more than before and grabbed the yolks of her entry plug, still feeling the pain on her shoulders and her neck, plus the shame of having been defeated so easily, it all crashed upon her and kept hunching over as if the weight of the world was crushing her.

 _This was unforgivable…_

 **Author's note: Sonic Belongs to Sega. Evangelion belongs to Gainax. Many thanks to GamerJay for beta reading.**

 **Now that that's out of the way: I'M BACK BABY! Yup, Sonic Genesis Evangelion is still going. I was working on different stuff, plus I had to get over a writer's block AND had to muster up the courage to write… what I wrote in this chapter. As in: Shinji dishing Misato… I am also sorry the hedgehogs only made a small cameo in this chapter guys. I know you wanted to see their Super forms in action against the Angel of War (Zeruel is my favorite Angel), but I really needed to get all of this out of my system. Or maybe I should say: Shinji needed to get it out of HIS system. The actual full on battle against Zeruel comes next chapter.**

 **As you may have guessed, this chapter was hard for me to write… after all my favorite Eva couple is Shinji x Misato. Hell Misato herself is a character that I love. But her actions in this, how Shinji developed and how he saw everything she did (hiding important stuff from him mostly) inevitably led to… Well… You know… If you didn't like it or thought Shinji was too harsh, don't worry: He will have the opportunity to redeem himself and make up with her later on.**

 **Believe it or not, the first draft of that bit was actually worse… Shinji was like, beyond furious and a vehement offender. He taunted Misato, advanced towards her as he spoke, making her back up against the wall even further and he even confronted her with stuff she WOULD have done if things kept progressing like they were (as in, he mentioned canon Evangelion AND how Misato overlaid her own dreams upon his).**

 **BUT… as much as this is how Shinji's feelings developed in this story because of Misato's actions, and as much as Shinji grew some stones as this progressed (he got a girlfriend and interacted with Sonic, Shadow and even Robotnik), well, this wasn't him. Just because he's mad and hates someone, doesn't mean he has far sight to see what that person would do in a different scenario nor would he humiliate someone beyond repair. He can hate someone but he's not an evil person.**

 **I changed it of course and turned the original bit into an Omake:**

 **OMAKE: "Furious Shinji is evil and has the far sight"**

He finally looked at her again, looked into her eyes, still with the same stoic expression, "I hated you, Misato…"

Misato's smile vanished and she took a small step back, which felt like a large recoil, a recoil from what felt like a physical blow. Did the sweet, shy and lonely boy she had taken in really just admitted hating her?

"From the moment you chose to prioritize your work, your thirst for vengeance over Kensuke, I hated you. I hated you when I realized there's nothing you won't do to see the monsters that killed your father dead. I hated you the moment I realized you simply overlaid your own selfish objective of 'avenging your father' over my own, without even caring or asking what my dreams and aspirations were. Or IF there were any."

Shinji kept his stoic face and mannerism throughout his speech. He wasn't even frowning. That made what he was saying even heavier. Misato edged back even more as she realized this was actually happening.

"Back when Asuka was absorbed into Unit 02 after killing the Shadow Angel and you said I couldn't know about it. And then having to have heard Kensuke was the pilot of Unit 03 from my girlfriend, even though you were right there and still tried to justify not telling me something like that…"

"S-Shinji-kun, I-"

"And then," he almost snapped, cutting her off, "I had to find a way to save Kensuke for myself. Hell even before that you…"

Misato couldn't bring herself to say anything as he struggled with his words…

"You are a drunk! And a whore!"

…but now she was actually too shocked to say anything.

"You sent a teenager an indecent picture, just to lure him to your good grace!" His face was no longer stoic and reflected nothing but anger, "And then when my father used the image of Rei injured to _make me_ pilot during the first Angel attack, you went along with that and used GUILT to make me pilot!"

"I… I'm sorry I-!"

"You're NOT!" He pointed his finger at her, making her recoil from him more. Her back was already against the wall, "You're NOT SORRY! Don't say you are!" He looked away. Only now Misato noticed he seemed on the verge of tears, "There is NOTHING you won't do to kill the Angels! There is no line you won't cross! You'd never be sorry for any of that!"

"S-Shinji please! I would be the one in the entry plug if I could-"

"Oh, but since only Children can pilot you would do anything to protect them?"

"…"

"So when anything bad happens, like Asuka being absorbed or Kensuke being drafted for a machine that would have killed him, you prefer to omit, to lie about it?" he breathed, "You just transfer any responsibility with me to other factors. Even when I was just starting this out, and I ran away for the first time, all you did was explain how I had to obey you."

"I was-"

"You were just trying to protect me?"

His face contorted when he said 'protect' and Misato said nothing.

"By 'protection' you mean you were afraid I would get scared and run off like I did the first time and not pilot your stupid machine anymore, not want to kill the Angels, kill the monsters you hate so much anymore. And you would do ANYTHING to stop that from happening."

 _Back when you ran for the first time I was ready to tell you to leave for good!_

But he still wasn't done talking so the thought was stuck in her throat.

Her silence apparently made him even madder, "Would you offer _yourself_ to me if it meant I'd keep piloting?! Would you sleep with me if it meant I'd still pilot?"

SLAP!

He seemed as shocked as she herself was when her hand struck his cheek, but as she went back to the wall, recoiling from him again, he breathed out a sound that was mostly a laugh, "Thank you for proving my point…" He said rubbing his cheek.

 _I'm sorry!_

Her thought died in her throat, unvoiced.

"You and my father don't give a damn about me!"

 _That's not true!_

Again she wanted to say it out loud but her throat seemed closed off.

"All you care about is killing the Angels, so all you care about is _the pilot of Unit 01_!"

 _That's not true!_

Misato almost said it again instead of just thinking it, but there was not a trace of deceit in his firm voice or his angry eyes as he said that. This was the first time Misato saw him being this spontaneous and open.

"You and the commander just care about killing the monsters who took important people from you and you two would do anything, _anything_ , to destroy them. No one, _fucking_ nobody else matters."

Misato was already fighting back the sorrow that was threatening to break through her, ripping her apart making her crumble down and pouring out of her eyes. It was almost too much when his stoic expression was gone and he glared at her as he finished that last sentence.

He looked away from her as he finally concluded walking away heavily, "Don't talk to me again unless it's work…"

He opened the door of the apartment, stepped out and then slammed it behind him. As that same door closed behind him, Misato finally crumbled, her bottom touched the ground as her legs folded like rubber and she didn't realize tears were coming out until they dripped from her face and down to the floor.


	14. Not even an apology

Disclaimer: Evangelion belongs to Gainax, Sonic belongs to Sega.

Thoughts of gratitude: Big thank you goes to GamerJay for beta reading.

 **Chapter 14:** _ **Not even an apology**_

"ASUKA!" his horrified scream echoed the huge waiting room as he saw Unit 02 being decapitated through the video feed.

He ran to the nearest phone; the security guard making sure he wouldn't leave the waiting room and disobey the commander's stupid 'relieved of duty' order tailed him with his eyes.

"Oh god, is she alright?! Is she alright?!" He spoke as he waited a response from the other end, before anyone even answered. But when he heard the robotic recorded voice answer…

"Due to a state of emergency the lines have been-"

"FUCK!"

…he cut it off, tossing the phone back into the receiver, cursing at the loud clank. He knew what the message would say so didn't even bother hearing all of it. He eyed the guard still keeping him in place and before he could even _think_ of anything…

"I can't let you leave kid."

…the same guard smashed any hope he had of rationalization here. So he had no choice but to be irrational.

"Do you want to DIE?!"

The guard snorted, "Threats from a teenager. Cute."

"That wasn't- I'm not threatening anyone here! My girlfriend is down! I'm guessing Ayanami is also going to go down soon! So _I'm_ the only one that can beat the Angel! And the Angel will kill you, along with everybody and everything you know, if I don't let me OUT THERE TO FIGHT!"

The guard hesitated. Shinji could swear he saw the faltering even in the stoic and dark glasses using wrinkled face.

"The… the Commander-"

"Your commander is a bastard! He's a SWINE!"

The guard showed the same surprise Shinji felt right now. He was actually kind of shocked he just dissed his father - the commander - so easily. He hated him of course, so it was easy to keep the scowl but the commander was still a scary bastard.

 _I've seen scarier… like Mephiles._

Thinking that somehow gave him the strength to continue, "He's a childish _fuck,_ having a tantrum like a baby! Why are you obeying someone like him? Why are you obeying an order that will _kill you_?!"

Shinji hated how the guard still looked stoic, even though he wasn't saying anything.

"Let me go pilot! Let me save everyone!"

"…"

Now Shinji's scowl turned to a slightly pained expression, "Please!"

"…aw fuck…" the guard muttered before opening the door.

(SGE)

Having stopped their synchronized flight towards the Angel just because they heard a loud clanging sound turned out to be a smart move after all. The clang they heard was Evangelion Unit 00 surfacing. The Eva had some sort of big cylinder with the word 'N2' written on it in its right hand, while the left hand seemed ready to deploy the AT field.

"They managed to fix Unit 00's arm in just five days. Impressive."

Sonic snorted, "Let's just help Rei, alright Shadow? What do you guys think she's carrying?"

The only response Sonic got was Unit 00 dashing with all its might and speed, clearing a great distance with each step and nearly shattering the sound barrier with a mere dozen steps. The three flying hedgehogs also charged towards the Angel, and though such a great distance was quelled quickly by their super forms, they were immediately halted by a double barrier that suddenly manifested.

As the AT fields of the Angel and Unit 00 warred with one another, the hedgehogs pushed against the AT field of the Angel, using the super strength their super forms possessed to help Rei cross it. But they immediately regretted it, taking note of Rei's plan as soon as the AT field was shattered

"SHE'S CARRYING A BOMB!" It was Sonic that yelled the obvious upon seeing Rei press what she was carrying against the Angel's core before he, Shadow and Silver could get away in time.

"GET BEHIND ME!" So now it was Silver that yelled as he shoved Sonic, Shadow and even the seven Chaos Emeralds hovering all around them as he hastily erected a psionic force field between them and the giant bomb.

KHABOOOOOOMMMM!

The color white filled Sonic's vision and heat that would have boiled him alive if he wasn't invulnerable washed over his body. The last thing he remembered seeing was the core of the Angel enclosing itself behind some sort of metal casing. Once the bright white subdued he realized he was being flung away like an ant would be flung by a human. The explosion was that strong.

 _Good thing I'm Super Sonic now. Being flung like that would have knocked me out in my normal state._

Then, upon stopping his momentum to hover in the air again, he looked around and confirmed his current fears.

(SGE)

"What happened to Silver?! And why is the Angel still in one piece?!"

Shadow shook his head as if to clear it, paying attention to Super Sonic beside him, sounding panicky as he realized what Shadow already knew.

"Silver took the brunt of the explosion while the Angel protected its own core against it."

Sonic gritted his teeth and narrowed his red eyes at the Angel.

"He was in his super form, like we are now Sonic. Though he probably returned to normal since the seven emeralds are still with us, he'll be fine."

"Right. Let's kick some skull faced butt shall we?"

With that, the two remaining hedgehogs started flying towards the black and white menace that had just put Rei and Silver out of commission.

They hammered the AT field with everything they had, making the hexagonal patterns visibly sparkle enough to be seen by the naked eye. Super Shadow nodded to Super Sonic and Super Sonic nodded back and the golden light surrounding both of them blistered, making a flash that would have blinded anyone except for them.

One layer of the AT field exploded, shattering into the second layer.

Both Super hedgehogs kept pushing; the seven Chaos emerald floating behind them were making a drilling motion in a cornucopia of color and light, each matching their own color and complimenting the golden bright of the two hedgehogs.

The second layer of the AT field shattered, leaving only one.

SWOSH!

Unfortunately, Shadow had to let go of the force field in order to dodge the 'arm' of the Angel that extended itself in an even faster motion than it did when it severed Unit 02's arms. And though he dodged, the strike from the giant paper thin arm still hit Shadow in his shoulder.

THUD!

The only reason it was a thudding sound instead of a slashing sound was because Shadow was in his Super form. He most certainly would have lost his arm if it wasn't for that but was still flung away from the fray instead. Away from the fray and away from the seven gems that were making him invulnerable.

"SHADOW!"

Sonic's once again panicked voice was the last thing Shadow heard before losing consciousness due to being hit in the shoulder by a behemoth sized blade and the shock of losing the powers of his super form.

(SGE)

He actually felt something akin to despair, a feeling he thought he'd never experience again, when the synchronization result screen showed the words 'dummy plug rejected' one more time.

"Why are you rejecting me, Yui?!"

He finally screamed his thoughts and his scream echoed in the empty control room where he was overseeing the futile attempts of activating Evangelion Unit 01. Eerily in sync with the question he asked, all the monitors of the control room blinked black before blinking into existence a picture of his son.

"…"

For a few seconds he could do nothing but stare at the neutral face of his son, displayed in the countless pictures being shown right now.

"…Is this your final answer then, Yui?"

The monitors blinked again, this time the countless images of Shinji morphed into one single image that occupied every monitor of the room. One giant Shinji's face that was looking down on him with a neutral expression.

His chest actually hurt and he had to get out of there. Get away from the gaze his wife made him see. Upon doing soon he heard the sound of soft footsteps, running towards him. He looked at the direction of it and immediately recovered his emotionless and controlled demeanor.

"What are you doing here, Third Child?"

Shinji panted a bit, stopping in front of him. Then he glared at him. His son actually glared at him, "Your temper tantrum has gone on long enough, _Commander_ Ikari. Asuka and Rei could be hurt _badly_ by now!" He spat.

Gendo straightened his glasses, "I will not suffer you to do as you please and then go unpunished. In fact I think I might fire the agent that was guarding you."

He was surprised he actually had to keep his emotions in check when his son narrowed his eyes at him, scowling, not breaking eye contact.

"But I suppose I have no choice but to allow you to do your job now."

Shinji glared at him some more and snorted, "I'm sorry, were you under the impression you could talk to me again?"

"…?"

"If you want me to do something… 'Commander Ikari'," Shinji spat before continuing, "you're gonna have to act like a commander and _fucking order_ me to. Shove the fatherly attitude up your butt."

Gendo's eyebrows actually went up before he scowled harder than Shinji was and let his anger boil to the point it show in his face because his son blinked in surprise.

Nevertheless, Shinji continued, "Being mad, not liking the taste of your own medicine is not going to help either. My girlfriend, the only reason I'm still here, could have been killed by that thing just now because of you. Because of your little tantrum of 'my son reneged me'."

"You were insubordinate-"

"I hate you, Commander Ikari. You're not letting me pilot just because I admitted I hate you. Guess what? _Nothing's_ changed. I STILL hate you."

Shinji still looked stoic. As did his father. He finished his point when Gendo said nothing.

"You're a bastard that would have killed Kensuke if it wasn't for me and Sonic. A bastard who didn't let me fight along my girlfriend and Rei even though I wanted to. A bastard who abandons his own family…"

That hit a nerve, now Gendo finally lost his stoic mannerism and not just in a facial expression manner. He grabbed his plugsuit clad son by the shoulder, holding firm to the slippery tissue of the Eva uniform, and brought his teen face closer to his own. He also raised his other hand, as if to slap Shinji. Shinji's face went from stoic to surprised, almost afraid. And perhaps that is what gave Gendo pause.

Shinji's flinch and the fact his eyes betrayed fear for a second meant nothing. Because when Gendo did nothing else, his would be hitting hand standing still in the air, he continued "Again, your temper tantrum, or even if you… add 'abusive' to the list of shit you do to me and how shitty of a bastard you are, changes _nothing_. I still hate you."

(SGE)

Gendo's face twitched again, in anger and something else Shinji couldn't identify. He wasn't particularly enjoying what he was doing but still, it felt good to be this spontaneous. Just say what you want to say, what you feel you should say. It was actually scary close to how he felt finally admitting to Asuka that he loved her. 'Being on a roll' as Toji would put it, he continued.

"So how about you do what you should have done when the Angel first attacked and let- order me to pilot?"

Gendo narrowed his eyes for about two seconds before asking "Why are you doing this?"

"I am the pilot of Evangelion Unit 01."

Gendo's face twitched for some reason, a twitch different from anger, "Fine then. Do it."

"No. I'll never do anything you ask. You have to order me, _Commander._ "

Gendo's face twitched one last time, this time Shinji saw he was angry, "Report to your cage, _Third Child._ I'm ordering you to fight the latest Angel."

(SGE)

The Angel was done doing whatever it was doing before continuing its approach to HQ, hovering above the grounds of the Geofront. Misato could have sworn that the blurred images of small, human sized objects that were flying around were Sonic, Shadow and Silver somehow.

 _What else could they be? The fact their color was off and that they were flying doesn't-_

Misato' thought was cut off when she heard the swooshing sound of an Eva moving its arm. Unit Zero was still active it seemed, servers grinding, struggling and shaking even to turn over. The explosion of the bomb she was carrying damaged _her_ a lot more than it did the Angel it seemed. Rei had lifted a feeble arm, sweeping it pointlessly at the Angel as it approached. After dodging the futile attack, it stopped, turned, and bobbed in the air as energy gathered around its skull face, much like all the other times it fired.

ZOOM- KABOOOOM!

It blasted Unit 00 from the earth, opening up a great crater underneath her, making her roll in mid-air and fall onto its belly. Rei screamed, and the signal from Unit Zero cut off completely. The angel turned towards HQ. Much like just a few seconds ago it drew its strength, aimed itself at the headquarters pyramid, and fired.

BOOOOMMMM!

What followed after the explosion was a horrifying sound of snapped metal, an overhead light came loose and crashed down into the upper deck, then rolled over the side into the great yawning void below. The screens all flickered, and the main screen went out, first to static, and then to black. Misato heard screaming and shouting about how now there was a huge crater where the main screen used to be.

NERV headquarters had been breached.

(SGE)

"You are NOT hurting anybody ANYMORE!"

Sonic, now the only super hedgehog left, yelled atop his powered lungs, his scream making a ripple in the air as he dove towards the Angel that had just blasted a hole into the HQ pyramid after finishing off Rei. A silent quick prayer towards the pilot of Unit 00 was followed by his scream and his super focus on the Angel.

Whether it was because Sonic's lightning attack was too fast for an AT field to arm itself or because the Angel had forgot about him, having easily taken down Super Silver and Super Shadow, Sonic managed to reach the Angel's protected core.

As he hammered his lightning golden spin attacks at it, light and explosion sparkling in a twister of destruction as the emeralds spun around Super Sonic, he let his thoughts run wild.

 _Technically, Rei took out Silver. Well her N2 bomb did._

 _And the only reason we were taken out to begin with is because there are NO RINGS in this universe…_

 _All this ugly sucker needs to do is to stop us from being super is drag us away from the Chaos Emeralds…_

One last effort from the repeated homing attacks that mercilessly hit the protected core of the Angel finally exposed it, as it was before. Sonic gazed upon the ominous red sphere and gathered his strength, lightning and yellow light gathering around him as his yellow spikes became even spikier and his yellow burned bright.

SWOSH- SMACK!

And that second of gathering power was all the time the Angel needed to swing its blade like arm once again, with a force that would put the force of most if not all of the god-like beings Super Sonic faced to shame.

 _No wonder Silver and Shadow were blown away by this!_

That was all Sonic managed to think before his face went full force and extremely fast against concrete, breaking the ground with his face. Good thing he was still with the emeralds hovering around him or else his face would have been broken so badly he'd probably be dead.

"SONIC" Misato's devastated scream reached him and he opened his eyes again to see the Angel approaching and gathering energy like it did before.

(SGE)

Now Misato knew for sure it was Sonic that was fighting the Angel by himself. She ignored the fact he was yellow and shining and the fact that he now could fly and refocused on the situation around her. Of course it wasn't good.

The level of destruction reached them, right near the center of Central Dogma. One of the heavy banks of servers on the MAGI level blew out in a shower of sparks, flames licking up the side wall until a pair of techs got up and turned a fire extinguisher on it. The entire frontal section of Central Dogma no longer existed, just a black hole.

She turned to the nearest tech, "Maya, grab your portable unit and whatever else you can. We're evacuating. Everybody out!"

"But-"

"Don't argue with me! Sound the-"

CRUNCH- SWOSH- CRASH!

What was left of the main screen, or at least the far wall on which it was projected, was suddenly gone as some sort of supersonic object passed by it and there was a great crash of falling masonry and whipping wires. Something came through the opening as the wall well away, hit the concrete floor in front of her so hard it bent the metal with a shearing and made a round hole in the ground, twisting a stifled scream.

"SONIC!"

The fact he was now yellow and with all the Chaos emeralds hovering around him, accompanying him, was once again ignored by her as she approached him. She stopped short however, when the humanoid hedgehog stood back up with eyes wide open, staring at the breach of NERV HQ.

Misato never felt so small, so powerless as she watched what the Angel did immediately after dispatching Sonic, making him crash face first into the HQ ground. He hovered above gathering up power, towering over everything, seeming so huge it could swallow everyone there. Maya screamed, Hyuga tugged her red sleeve, Sonic pointlessly hovered back up, trying to shield everybody. The Angel's 'eyes' shined and Misato grabbed her cross to her chest, knowing it was over. But…

SMASH!

…Evangelion Unit 01 came through the wall and punched the Angel on its face.

The Eva crashed into the command center, towering over them all even as it hunched over the Angel, the umbilical from the cage dragging behind it. Misato looked at it all in shock as Shinji grabbed the Angel by its great bony visage and forced it backwards with both hands…

SWOSH- SLASH!

…and didn't stop even when the Angel ripped off the Evangelion's right arm. Blood, hundreds of liters of Evangelion blood rained down and made a wave. Shinji's scream of pain and fury was made into a primal roar by the Eva's external speakers. The entire deck groaned as he still pushed the creature back, away from the bridge and towards the cages that contained the Eva launch pads.

"Misato!" Shinji's thundery voice came through Maya's portable console and the Eva's speakers.

Misato understood him immediately and kept up with his request of talking only if it was work, "LAUNCH PAD NUMBER FIVE NOW!"

Maya typed some commands in her portable unit, and the floor shook with the power of the hydraulic rams launching Unit 01 and the Angel out of HQ, back out into the Geofront.

"Come on," Misato shouted, "Everybody out!"

She turned to Sonic, but he was already gone.

(SGE)

Shinji felt only hate. It burned like lava flowing through his veins, coming from his chest in a thundery rhythm, it was accentuated by the lacerating pain in his shoulder, it was echoed in his throat and the inhuman roars he didn't know he was capable of uttering and it found its release only by going straight into the monstrous skull-like face in front of him.

He started with grinding the skull face to the side of the wall of the escape shaft. Then he punched it with his one hand over and over, weakening it. Then it didn't matter if he saw a crack in the skull's jaw or something along those lines, he simply pulled off a piece of the bony structure and started to beat the angel with it.

The strikes were repeated over and over again in a deadly motion. Through the red haze that was his sight, he realized he was hitting the core repeatedly with a piece of bone. The same piece of bone he tore off the Angel's face that he actually ripped partially off in the previous part of his rage.

FRZZZZZZZZ- CLUNK.

Shinji widened his eyes and his mouth went agape with horror when the burn all over his body and the shoulder pain of his missing arm; the feeling of synchronization in general fled him completely and his entry plug went dark red.

He looked to the side to see the clock of his internal battery marking zero. He whispered, "Out of energy? No…"

He futilely moved the yolks of his cock pit.

"No no NO, NOOOO!"

Of course angel ignored his screams and moved, making his own environment rumble, moving the limp Unit 01 from above him. But then he paused and with just one look outside Shinji realized why the Angel paused.

"S…Sonic?"

(SGE)

It was easy to recognize an Evangelion without power by this point; he knew Shinji was down too. He was now the only thing standing between this universe's people and the oblivion of Third Impact.

"Come on, Sonic! You got this!"

It was rare for Sonic to feel the need to reassure himself, especially when he was flying around in his super form but here was an opponent that seemed more powerful than any godly entity he had beaten before and now he was the only one left.

Sonic dove straight for the jaw wound Shinji had done by punching it repeatedly and then pulling it, ripping off half of the jaw. He repeated the motion to dodge the swing from the Angel's paper thin arm only to go downwards, towards the Angel's chest.

The attack from the second arm came and he swirled to dodge it and go straight for the Angel's chest, to punch it. A shockwave of yellow light splashed in a instantaneous circle. Sonic didn't stop and kept punching the giant sphere of the even more giant beast standing above him but by the time he landed the fourth punch…

SQUEEZE!

…the arm that would have landed the fifth punch was enveloped by the rear end of the membrane like arm of the Angel. Enveloped and wrapped firmly, halting Sonic in one place.

Sonic grinned "I predicted this!"

Using everything of his body, except the arm that he had it stuck. He vibrated and spun around in a super spin dash, glowing and flashing rays of light in all directions. The Chaos Emeralds swirled around Sonic as he spun and proceeded to free his arm and hence himself from the grasp of the Angel, and now, instead of punching the core, he did a powerful homing attack that roared like thunder and was as fast as lightning.

The core of the Angel closed itself again. However, unlike what happened with Unit 00, in which the N2 bomb didn't even scratch the surface of the protection, this super charged homing attack from Super Sonic destroyed the super armor of the 'skin' of the protective layer of the core, obliterating the area around it.

Now the Angel's core was fully exposed.

"Great! Now I can- HEY!" However, Sonic was then grasped by both paper thin arms of the Angel. His left arm and his right leg were now stuck.

Before he could even think of a way to get himself free, maybe just vibrate until he spin dashed again, he widened his eyes at the small light above him. A small light in front of the eyes of the giant skull face above him. The same light he saw before the Angel blew up Evangelion Unit 00, the same light he saw before the Angel blew a hole into NERV HQ.

"Oh darn…"

BOOOOOOMMM!

(SGE)

"SONIC NOOOOOO!"

And now that he saw Sonic being blown away by the Angel, apparently to death because there was nothing left of the hedgehog and the Chaos Emeralds that were hovering around him, his despair had reached its peak. His scream hoarsened his throat and now he moved the unpowered yolks with even greater strength, as if to break them. He kept screaming and moving and trying desperately to do anything as the Angel still moved about, still handled his Eva.

"Move move move move move move you USELESS PIECE OF JUNK! If you don't move now EVERYTHING IS OVER!"

He stopped to breathe and to take in the fact the Angel exploded his Eva's chest plate for some reason. He didn't stop screaming and moving the yolks with all his strength even when the Angel started hitting his chest with both of its paper thin arms.

"Move move move move move MOVE GOT DAMN IT! IF YOU DON'T MOVE EVERYBODY WILL DIE! I fought! I came back for Asuka! I stood up for myself! I wanna see Asuka again! So please MOVE!"

There was a thrum of power that echoed all around his entry plug, made his eyes widen and his hands stop moving.

(SGE)

Misato looked around the empty HQ bunk with the usual reconstruction efforts already under way. Asuka was still in sick bay and she still needed to oversee everything being done. Especially since a good chunk of the damage had been done by Unit 01 itself, _after_ it devoured the Angel's core, trashing about relentlessly. She would hopefully see Asuka today, maybe send her home. And Shinji… well, with Unit 01 deactivated and brought back in, she would hopefully see that today as well.

 _Or maybe not so hopefully…_

The memory of her last talk with her ward, how he actually made her cry by simply telling her the truth, still lingered with her. It was a terrible ordeal mainly because, with her inability to go home also came her inability to drink. She could not for the life of her stave off or at least disguise the pain still eroding her chest right now. That pain seemed like a constant companion now. It was there when she saw Unit 01's batteries run out, it was there when she saw Sonic being blown away after exposing the Angel core, and it was there during the whole gruesome final stand of Unit 01.

 _The Evangelion actually 'awoke' as Ritsuko put it. Actually got rid of the rest of its armor, which was actually restraining gear, actually used a piece of the Angel to regrow its arm and actually… ATE the Angel. All the while with the same 400% sync ratio Asuka had when she got out of the twelfth Angel._

Relive the events of yesterday in her head was the only thing she could do as she robotically made her way to HQ, to the Eva monitoring structure, just by the cages. To the imaging of Unit 01's entry plug, to her ward who was maybe better off dead.

Misato shook her head, "You see you stupid whore?! That's why he hates you." She whispered furiously to herself. "He told you what you did to him and you just wanna pass him along?!"

 _You want him to DIE?!_

She had to think that last part or she would have yelled at herself and she had to fight back tears.

"Did you say something Misato?"

"No, Ritsuko," She answered as she cleared the final bit of distance inside the Eva monitoring structure between her and the doctor. "Is he…?"

She couldn't finish the question but Ritsuko nodded anyway, "We're about to find out."

She nodded to Maya and Maya typed a few commands, "Initiating imaging recovery of Entry Plug 01, now."

The big screen in front of them bleeped at the same time Maya said 'now' and Misato just stood there stoically, observing the image. Her eyes began to tear up. Unlike previous times she was overwhelmed, she couldn't take it and a sob actually wracked her as she put both her palms over both her eyes, and the tears washed down her face.

"Erm, so…" Maya began hesitantly, "Jus-just like with Asuka, this is a…"

"…This must be a natural consequence of that high a sync ratio, Maya. Yes it must."

Misato turned away from the image showing Shinji's plugsuit, floating about in LCL, in an empty entry plug. This was a thousand times worse than it was with Asuka and she wasn't even gonna bother to _try to_ hide this from Asuka, like she did to Shinji when it happened to Asuka before.

 _I never even apologized to you Shinji-kun…_


	15. Hypocrisy

Disclaimer: Evangelion belongs to Gainax, Sonic belongs to Sega.

Thoughts of gratitude: Big thank you goes to GamerJay for beta reading.

 **Chapter 15:** _ **Hypocrisy**_

After stretching and thoroughly enjoying having smoked his cigarette, Kaji started putting his clothes back on. He was on top of her again this time but something felt off. And now that he realized she was still motionless, still just lying there in his bed naked, after they were done and after she was done with _her_ cigarette and drink, he was pretty sure of it. He almost cracked one of his post coital jokes but something told him not to, something told him this was serious, especially since this particular tryst happened with Shinji still inside Unit 01.

So he just asked "What's wrong, Misato?"

"…"

"Look, if this is about Shinji, you can just go check on things in the base. I'm sure Rits and Maya are doing everything they can to-"

"He hates me, Kaji."

Kaji blinked, "What?"

"He hates me…"

Kaji somehow knew she meant Shinji. Now he tried his best smile, "Come on Misato, Shinji doesn't hate y-"

"He looked me in the eye and said to my face everything I ever did to him, everything that I already knew was true and everything he felt as I did the things I did. Then he told me he hated me for it. How much of a hypocrite would I be if I was there worrying about him, praying for his safe return? How much of a _disgusting_ hypocrite would I have to be in order to be the one to greet him back? Or to grieve him if he doesn't?"

She sounded totally dejected. This surprised Kaji so much that he actually had to formulate his next sentence. "How he… feels about you doesn't… change how you feel about him, Misato."

"I failed as his guardian. Utterly and completely."

"A guardian's job is not to make the ward like her."

"Right. Her job is to protect him. To put him above her own personal agenda."

Kaji hesitated. He reached for the capsule that contained the data chip with everything he found out and intended to give her when The situation with Unit 01 settled, but he hesitated.

"What's that?"

Amazing how even though she was totally dejected she still had her keen senses, "It's… not important." He put the capsule away. Misato was already handling a teen that hated her if he ever got out of Unit 01, the same teen who was the only hope for humanity's survival. Someone else was gonna have to handle the truth.

(SGE)

With inhuman stealth and efficiency only the ultimate life form can deliver, Shadow skulked trough the sewers completely clean and unseen. The smell was something he was going to have to deal with but for now he was glad to have reached his objective. He was surprised the signal he had been given was still efficient after his hide out moved about twice but was headed for the rendezvous nonetheless. He climbed the stairs out of the sewers and saw him just standing there, putting out his cigarette and looking at him.

Shadow approached him, shaking off the sewer smell, "I hope you're not here to gloat about your latest encounter with Major Katsuragi."

Kaji blinked, then smiled at him, "You already know me so well, Shadow."

Shadow grunted, "No, I just smell her all over you."

Kaji smiled even wider, "So how are you boys doing?"

"We survived. Sonic almost had him. Ironically; had the Evas not been there we would have fared better. Rei wouldn't have blown Silver away from us and Sonic wouldn't have had to protect Shinji."

"So you guys just left?"

Shadow shrugged "After the Angel began eating, we realized the day was won. Sonic looked disgusted though."

Kaji smiled knowingly of something.

"Something you wanna tell me Mr. Kaji?"

"Nothing that can't be deciphered with what I'm about to do."

"And what are you about to do, inspector?"

Kaji was now in all business mode, "My jig is up. I've one last job to do and it'll probably cost me my life."

Shadow crossed his arms, "If you're looking for sympathy or protection, you should have gone to Sonic."

"The closed line communicator I gave was the only one I had and I gave it to you Shadow. Besides, I knew what I was doing all along. This is what I signed up for." He pulled something from his pocket, "This however," he showed it to Shadow and it was a microchip of some sort, "This I was originally giving to Misato, but she already has a lot on her plate."

"And you think I can handle it better than she would." Shadow took the chip in his hand and looked at it in front of his face, "What's in it?"

"The Truth."

Shadow looked at Kaji.

"You have the truth now Shadow."

Shadow put the micro chip away, in his side back pack.

Kaji finally smiled at him again, "So where are Silver and Sonic?"

"Explaining. Getting information. Saying goodbye." Shadow shrugged, "Useless really. I suppose I'll meet up with them now."

(SGE)

Kensuke was hyped to see them again. He needed something awesome since the last awesome thing he had totally backfired, almost killing him and scarring him for life. He didn't even care he had to climb to the roof top of his building and meet them in secret.

"Hey Sonic! Good to see you again!" he greeted them with a smile, focusing more on the hedgehog he had never seen before. "And you must be Silver!"

The silver hedgehog with weird spikes on the front of its forehead nodded at him.

But it was Sonic with his usual smile and attitude that spoke first, "Hey, Ken. Been a while man. Well even longer for you since you were unconscious the last time I saw you."

Kensuke grinned, actually trying to look on the bright side of those memories, "Yeah that was pretty insane. Good to see you again. No Shadow?"

"He's taking care of other stuff. I'll say hello to him for you. Though I know actually seeing us mobians is way past cooler."

Kensuke laughed, "Yeah it is. Are you guys really gonna be okay?"

Silver interjected suddenly, "We save the world on a regular basis."

Sonic nodded, "Damn right!" His face turned serious suddenly, "Let's talk of more pressing matters now, right?"

Kensuke blinked.

"How's Shinji doing, Ken?"

"Ah. He hasn't been to school the past two days."

Silver and Sonic exchanged worried glances.

"I'm… really sorry, Sonic. Look, Asuka hasn't been coming either and she's staying with the Class Rep for some reason. Also, Misato isn't picking up the phone either. I don't know what's happening. I know you told me to-"

"I know what I told you Ken. Don't worry about it. I will find out what happened to him."

Silver eyed him worriedly, "Sonic…"

"What?"

"We've been successfully isolated from NERV for a while now. Spying on them might not be the smartest thing to do now."

Sonic nodded, "I know that and I know their commander and Eggman are the bad guys in this but I've no choice. I ain't abandoning Shinji. The kid tried to k-"

Sonic stopped himself when he saw Kensuke was still there. He blinked, "What?"

Sonic waved dismissively, "Nothing. Well, I guess Im going back to HQ."

"No you're not."

Kensuke was even more surprised than Sonic and Silver were at the arrival of the third hedgehog. Kensuke's excitement swelled and he smiled a smile so over the top he thought his face would crack.

(SGE)

"You're Shadow, aren't you?! Awesome!"

Shadow noticed only now the human just beside Sonic and Silver.

"Wow, okay, so like, each Mobian, each hedgehog is a different color?! This is so cool!"

Shadow blinked, slightly weirded out at the fan boy reaction of this teen. He looked at Sonic with the same weirded out face while pointing at Kensuke, "What the hell is this?"

Sonic smiled shrugging, "Kensuke is like that around mobians." He then turned serious, looking Shadow in the eye, "And what do you mean we can't go see Shinji?"

Shadow glared at him "One: He's at NERV. And we're not on the best of terms with them right now. I'm not gonna break into a military base for no reason."

"No reason?! We gotta see if Shinji is okay! The last time I saw him-"

"Two: I know what happened to Shinji. And we can't help him right now."

Sonic blinked and Kensuke picked up; he and Silver approached the black hedgehog.

"I had a meeting with Kaji."

Silver blinked, "We're isolated. How did he get in contact with you?"

Shadow shrugged, "He finally put the closed line communicator he gave me to good use. Anyway, he gave me a microchip that probably has information and told me Shinji has been absorbed by Unit 01. Just like Asuka was during our incident with the time eating Angel."

Sonic and Silver again looked worried while Kensuke looked outright terrified.

Sonic narrowed his eyes, "Can he be saved?"

"Asuka was."

Silver interjected, "We should decide on what to do next. Maybe it's time to see what's in the chip you have?"

Sonic nodded, "Right," then turned back to Kensuke smiling, "Anyway, thanks for everything dude."

Kensuke smiled sadly at the blue hedgehog, "This… is really goodbye then."

Sonic scratched the back of his head, "Well, I want us to see each other again dude, but it's only gonna get more dangerous from now on." He gestured his fellow hedgehogs, "Only reason I convinced the guys to let me contact you was because I said I wanted to say goodbye."

Kensuke still felt sadness but easily kept his smile. "It's cool man. My time with you, heck even my short time as a pilot, as horrifying as that was, these were the best highlights of my life." Now he made an effort to keep his eyes dry, "It was awesome to know you Sonic."

And there it was. Kensuke had said it. He honestly felt there was nothing else life could throw at him that would make him falter or be down. This was the ending of his role in all this. The image of the three hedgehogs walking away was one he would treasure for the rest of his life. And he hoped beyond hope he would at least still have his normal student life, see Toji and Shinji again, maybe get a girl like both of them had. The sad smile never left his face.

(SGE)

"Seriously Hikari, how much longer is your friend going to stay over?"

"Nozomi, please. She is going through a rough time right now."

"Well I can see that, all she does is sulk in your room all day. She's not even going to school with you."

Hikari sighed, "I am well aware. I've been trying to speak with her and with her guardian, but apparently Miss Katsuragi isn't at their home anymore either…" She felt her face twisting in sadness and took a deep breath, "I think Shinji Ikari is dead…"

Hikari finally letting out of her chest her main worry and greatest suspicion of what happened in the last Angel attack was extremely effective in silencing her older sister. She and Nozomi just stood there for a while in silent, Hikari feeling the uneasiness of saying what she just did and Nozomi processing what she just heard.

"I… I see. It was her friend and Katsuragi's-"

"They were more than friends actually," Hikari cut her off and made her brow twist in sadness, "I will… talk to her Sis. I need to confirm that's what happened. Need to see how I can help her."

The walk back to her room felt like a long tiresome trudge. She opened her door and of course Asuka was just lying there in her 'bed': the guest mat on the ground just beside her own bed. She was already tucked in surprisingly. It wasn't even that late and Asuka just wanted to go to bed for the night. Hikari made an effort to take a shower and get ready to sleep as well. So when she was ready she just lay there beside the redhead.

"Asuka," She started after lying beside her a while, "I'm sorry I have to ask this but…"

"…"

Hikari took a deep breath, "Is Shinji dea-?"

"NO!"

Hikari looked at her, startled at she suddenly cutting her off. Asuka recoiled, going almost into a fetal position before continuing. "Don't- Don't say 'dead'! Don't you say it, don't… please just don't, Hikari…"

Hikari bit her lip and looked to the side.

"I'm…" Asuka began again, "I'm sorry for inconveniencing you like this.

"You're not-"

"I can't be at my apartment. Everything there reminds me of him."

"…"

"And… yeah, he might be… you know."

"Asuka…"

She whispered, "I… I hate him…"

Hikari widened her eyes, "C-come on now, Asuka. You don't hate-"

"I hate him for making me love him. Making me need him. I hate that I love him so much. Loving him so much and then losing him… made me lose value in everything."

She kept whispering softly. Hikari just kept staring at the ceiling.

"I hate Misato and Wonder Girl for taking my focus off of the battle that may as well have killed him. I hate school. I hate…"

Hikari felt like she should have said something at this point but she was too busy trying to figure out what Asuka was thinking about during that pause.

"I hate everything. And the one I hate most is myself."

"…"

"I can't even care about anything anymore."

Hikari hesitated for about three seconds, "You have a college degree. I think you can do whatever you want Asuka. I think you've done well, Asuka."

A wracking sob made Asuka contort into an even more fetal position, almost hugging her knees, "Then why couldn't I save him?" She said while crying openly.

And to that, Hikari could just lay there stiffly. She couldn't remember if Asuka stopped crying as she fell asleep.

(SGE)

Silver kept his cool and focus all the while Shadow worked alongside him. He hated that the black hedgehog could decipher faster than him even though he was the one that set up the defensive matrix of their hide out, a way they could see and communicate with the outside world without being found. Never the less he kept typing the solutions to the equations Shadow was finding, no matter how difficult cracking this microchip open was proving to be.

But then Sonic broke his focus, "Guys, seriously! Im am soooooo booored right now! Can't you guys work that any faster?"

Silver sighed, "Shadow and I combined aren't even close to the level of deciphering that, say, Tails or even Rouge have. Inspector Kaji went out of this way to make sure very few people would be able to see what's in this microchip."

"Humph. These are spy algorithms. I'm sure I could decipher them myself if I had a powerful enough computer."

Sonic stood and walked up to them, "Doesn't NERV have the most powerful computer of the planet?"

Shadow nodded, "Indeed they do and we wouldn't even have to use the MAGI itself. Just a mini terminal of HQ to access it would be enough."

"Well then why don't you guys do that?"

Silver spoke this time, "Using the MAGI leaves foot prints. We'd be found."

Shadow looked at him, "I still think it's worth it though."

Silver narrowed his eyes, annoyed, "Ugh…"

Sonic voiced his annoyance first, sitting back down and pouting, "Won't that mean we'll have to move again? And run from every suit and tie and piece of scrap metal they'd throw at us? Will what's in that little thing be worth it?"

Silver nodded, "Exactly. What information is in that Microchip that's worth this hassle?"

Shadow shrugged, "Inspector Kaji called this 'the truth' guys. Do you think it'll help proving the vision the three of us shared?"

Silver blinked, remembering the horrifying secrets that the round Angel made he, Shadow and Sonic see

Sonic jolted right back up, widening his eyes, clearly remembering the same thing as Silver. His face became a pinnacle of determination with a wicked smile, "Oh we are so using the MAGI to see what's in that… And then we'll show it to _everybody!_ "

(SGE)

Wandering the dark empty halls of HQ also proved ineffective on fixing how crappy she felt. Nothing she could do, nothing she could think of managed to change the emptiness she felt inside and how badly everything was going for her. Everything.

 _I can't believe I botched a sync test…_

Yes, in the afternoon of the same day, she had been there with Misato. She barely exchanged one word with the woman. Apparently even that aspect from Shinji rubbed off on her.

 _Plus I know it's only a matter of time until Misato asks me how long I'll be staying at Hikari's and not going to school._

Yes, school had been yet another of the grounds that she had and now not anymore. Today was only the fourth day since he was gone and yet there she was, practically reduced to rubble, hating everything.

 _Is there anything you haven't done to me stupid Shinji…?_

She didn't mind much that she and Misato were not in the best of terms right now. Heck maybe she was even a bit thankful that she didn't have to hear Misato's 'I'm sorry for what happened to Shinji' speech. What really hurt her today was the fact that, when they put her in the entry plug as they had a million times before, she actually felt alienated and lost. In the one place she always felt safe, she also felt the same loss, grief and loneliness that haunted outside. Of course her ratio went to almost as low as Rei's was.

 _You actually made me stoop to Wondergirl's level, you…!_

She gritted her teeth thinking about him, unable to finish the thought. All the while reliving this hellish day she spent wandering HQ. Sometimes she would see a technician, or maybe an engineer. She would go by reconstruction sites and materials being dragged. After all it wasn't every battle that ended in HQ being breached, so even some regulars of the staff were present. Reconstruction efforts were constantly ongoing since the mess that the Angel made. Still her mind was only on one thing.

 _Why did I ever fall for you, stupid Shinji?! I never even told you, never said that I loved you too._

 _And now I know why. Actually admitting what I already knew would have meant you had power over me. You could do to me… you could make me feel exactly as I feel now by simply…_

… _by simply leaving. Leaving me alone as I always have been. As I still thought I could be even while you were still here…_

Her feet must have subconsciously brought her here because she was suddenly in front of the bandaged up Unit 01. After blinking away her slight surprise and taking a breath she didn't know she began holding upon seeing the bandaged up purple behemoth, she glared at it.

"Anything else you wanna take away from me, stupid Shinji?! It was because of you that my ratio dropped that much! It was because of you I started crying again, I even did in front of Hikari too! It was because of you I became such a… a…"

She couldn't finish her speech and simply hung a took both hands to her face, crying openly, sobs wrecking her body, making her sagging shoulders hitch up and down. She would have wailed and screamed something at the Eva but…

"You should be on standby at your own cage if you're going to stay at the base."

…the commander's voice stopped her, making her look up at the man. He came in her direction, apparently from further donw the Eva cage. A stupid question passed Asuka's head: Was he looking at the Evangelion for some reason?

She shook her head before begin speaking while wiping her eyes and cheeks, "Ah, commander, sir, I was-"

"It is pointless to dwindle on things lost."

Asuka blinked, her mouth agape.

"Shinji is happier where he is now than he could possibly ever be out here. Regardless of who is out here."

Asuka blinked again, "Sir?"

The Commander started walking, "You of all people should know better than to feed anyone false hope." The Commander walked past her as if she was nothing.

Asuka just stood there dumb folded. She heard the man was cryptic but this was a whole new level of weird. For someone like Asuka that was saying a lot. By the time she turned to ask him what he meant the man was already a good distance away. Thinking about that and about how he stood with his hands on his pockets, like he didn't care about anything, made a useless thought cross Asuka's mind.

Shinji was nothing like his father.

She collapsed for some reason. Sitting there, on the cold metal ground of the walkway, she noticed she was now almost in front of Evangelion Unit 01, just below the behemoth's exposed round and red indentation on the chest. Seeing the purple counterpart of her own Eva, she felt more tears coming but instead of giving in and wailing out a sob, she instead gave way to anger, or to at least what she thought was anger.

Her roar was primal and guttural and if anybody was standing nearby, they had heard her. She didn't care and kept venting until her throat was sore. By the time her animalistic scream was done she began speaking, regardless of how her throat felt and how her tears were wet in her face and how her eyes stung. She didn't know if it was because of what the commander just said to her or the weight of the past few days finally crushing down on her, but the finality of what happened to Shinji hit her and she felt the need to talk to a stupid machine as if she was talking to Shinji.

"Shinji please!" she yelled at the Eva, "I know I said several times this- the things we shared before we became a couple didn't mean anything but they did! I know I asked for all of you, I said I wouldn't want you at all if I didn't have all of you without offering you the same deal, but I DID! I gave you all of me! I AM YOURS! I, Asuka Langley Soryu, belong to you, Shinji! I LOVE YOU!"

She breathed, cried some more and wiped her face before noticing the purple behemoth was still motionless. Never the less she continued.

"I know I never told you any of this! I know I'm being a hypocrite! But you have to come back to me! If this is what it is to be alone then I don't want it anymore! I don't wanna forget you! Forget how I feel about you!" She kept screaming between tears, "PLEASE! Please, come back to me!"

 _Please look at me mama!_

That echo in her thoughts gave her pause, making her hang her head down again. That pause was enough for her to hear a thud. A thud that Asuka could have described as 'meat pounding a metal surface really hard'. She looked up again, in the direction of the thud, and widened her eyes smiling.

(SGE)

The last thing Shinji remembered was being inside his entry plug when a thrum of power that enveloped him and the entire entry plug to the point it made him stop dead on his tracks. That's why it was extremely confusing to suddenly feel like you just woke up, naked and with thin arms embracing him frantically and a slim body actually rubbing itself against him. It took him a while to recognize the owner of those arms and body.

"Asuka…?"

She was actually crying on top of him, soiling his shoulder and chest with her tears, crying out with overwhelming joy and in a way he couldn't make out what she was saying.

"As-Asuka what's wrong? What happened? Did I defeat the Angel?"

"Shinji, oh Shinji thank god!"

Shinji was glad she finally said something he understood but his confusion and his tiredness were still jarring, "What… What, um-"

Asuka cut him off by suddenly losing her smile and glaring at him, "If you ever leave again, I'll kill you…"

Shinji swallowed, "O-okay."

"One other thing…"

Shinji blinked, not saying anything as Asuka looked at him straight in the eye.

"I… love you…"

Shinji held his breath and felt his blood rushing to his face. Upon noticing how she was holding him, how close they were to each other and feeling the weight of what she just said to him, he felt the already very familiar effect she could have on him and blushed even more.

"Shinji what…?" she started but then she must have realized what had happened to Shinji because she blushed and looked away from him. "Mein Gott you're such a pervert!"

Blushing just as crimson as she was, Shinji said, "Well you did just tell me you love me for the first time. AND you were hugging me even though I'm naked."

(SGE)

Kozo was going about his work day as he always was until word of Shinji's sudden return reached him through a text in his computer screen. That actually gave him pause and actually made him double check the message.

 _You… didn't want to keep your son close to you, Yui?_

Upon checking the issue further he realized that the one who reported he was back was the Second Child. Couple that with the rumors around the base they were a couple, Fuyutsuki didn't even need to check the security cameras to see that Shinji came out of Unit 01's core because Asuka called out for him. He smiled slightly.

 _You did always talked of doing everything for the children._

 _How much of a hypocrite would you be if you didn't give him back to the girl he loves and loves him back? I guess you'd never-_

THOK!

His thought was cut off by the dry sound of his skull being hit with something hard. After that dry sound and briefly feeling the pain on the side of his head, consciousness fled him and everything went black.


	16. The Demise that Lights Up Hope

**Chapter 16:** _ **The Demise that lights up Hope**_

Of course Shadow didn't tell Sonic and Silver where he was going. Maybe Silver could but he doubted Sonic could have handled what he suspected he'd find. And it was a good thing he did.

"I'm sorry, inspector…"

His gloved hands went to Kaji's still half open eyes to fully close the eyelids.

"I'm surprised you look so peaceful."

The corpse gave him no answer.

"One shot to the shoulder that missed. One to the chest, probably just because Kaji stopped running, having arrived at our meeting point. Whoever did this was sloppy."

He looked around the crime scene and saw even more indication that this must have been a first kill of whoever shot him. There were also heavy indications that the killer was very cold and calculative, though this was definitely his first kill.

"Gendo…?"

Once again, the empty crime scene and Kaji's corpse gave him no answer. He put his hand to his chin, allowing thought to run freely.

 _Gendo, you looked like a man who thought a 'hands on' approach was necessary from time to time. And though you murdered half of the world with Second Impact, this was your first actual kill, the first time you actually shot someone._

Satisfied with his deduction, he looked around the crime scene one more time, disappointed he didn't have the right equipment to lift Gendo's DNA or fingerprints from the place, something to truly incriminate NERV's commander, and then reached for his side pack. The phone was right next to one of the Chaos Emeralds. He picked it up and dialed.

" _Shads. What's up?"_

Shadow grunted at the static filled voice of his blue counterpart, "Sonic, Commander Ikari has… hurt someone again."

There was a pause on the other end of the line and Shadow was glad he stopped himself from saying 'killed someone' to Sonic. Might have sent the blue hedgehog onto a rage.

" _Oh great. What has he done now?"_

"It's… not important. Nothing can be done about it now."

" _He's killed someone hasn't he?!"_

Shadow cursed under his breath. _Of all the times the faker could be sharp…_

" _I'm going to-!"_

"Sonic." Shadow cut him off softly.

" _What?!"_

"We mustn't be rash."

" _Yeah, you and Silver brainstorm and get out of the hideout or something. I'm going to the UN with the microchip we have."_

Shadow grunted "We are _very_ close to opening a port to use the MAGI and use it to decipher that information, Sonic. It probably won't matter they find us if-"

" _Oh Silver already took care of that."_

Shadow blinked, "What?"

" _Tell him, Silver."_

There was a hustle and bustle of a communicator being passed around.

" _Shadow."_ Now it was Silver's voice with the com static.

"Silver, you managed to open the Microchip?"

" _I did. From what I can tell it's mostly documents, naming very important people and linking it all to Second Impact. This seems like it's only circumstantial evidence though. Plus I don't know who any of these people are except for Lorenz Keel._

Shadow narrowed his eyes. "The head of the Instrumentality Committee." One last look at Kaji's body and Shadow started walking away, "Silver, clear out the hide-out, erase all the data and then we'll let Sonic have his fun."

" _We'll be right there with him right?"_

"Why not? I guess the body of the UN will be more receptive if all three of us are there. Let's meet up somewhere so we can go right away, there's a UN assembly happening today."

(SGE)

"This past event was a serious deviation from our scenario. The Eva series was not supposed to attain an S2 engine."

For just this once Keel felt the need to grunt before actually speaking in retort to SEELE 03, the Russian representative in the green display, "Maybe it was a mistake to make Ikari the Commander of NERV."

SEELE 02, the French with the big nose displayed in yellow, snorted, "Our attempts to get the UN against the hedgehogs also failed. It seems rather frustrating we've no choice but to continue defeating the Angels."

The American representative on the red display spoke, "At the time it seemed only Ikari could complete our plan."

Keel spoke again; glad his visor was hiding his features, "Ikari… what are you thinking?"

The Dutch representative, under the blue light, spoke for the first time. "The damage reports to NERV HQ are the worst so far. They had to transfers to the secondary command post. Is this really all because Ikari didn't want to give his son leverage?"

"His reasoning is irrelevant at this point," Keel nearly cut him off, "We need to seriously consider Robotnik might have been telling the truth when he betrayed us, when he said Ikari was also planning to betray us."

The big nosed French nodded "Truly the neck bell we tied to Ikari proved most useless."

"That is also irrelevant. Thanks to that useless bell we managed to get a lot of information out of the Sub-commander. And he has already been taken care of."

The American spoke again "There is still the matter regarding the hedgehogs and Robotnik."

Keel nodded, "That is a more pressing matter. Robotnik went into hiding, probably in the depths of the Geofront and though we froze and seized all of his assets, we've no idea what he could be doing. And the hedgehogs have been helping defeat the Angels but they are still external factors in this."

His fellow committee members said nothing this time. For once, they were not hidden by the black monoliths with their numbers and not all seven members were here. That made this meeting even more ominous. Keel cleared his throat and put an elbow to the table.

"We've no choice but to continue as planned. The one thing we can do is to demand explanations from Ikari about Robotnik and how his son managed to escape Unit 01 so easily, even though that will probably prove fruitless."

The Russian rested a cheek on his fist, "And the hedgehogs?"

"They can't do anything at this point."

(SGE)

Misato actually hated the drive back to her apartment more than she was hating sitting in that dark cell for the past two days. Of course the darkness always brought back to her the horrible memories of when she was catatonic but there was a general sense of dread entangling her ever since she was released and her gun and her badge were returned to her. It didn't matter that the Vice-Commander had been found. All that mattered was who had taken him.

 _Kaji…_

The thought, the name, the feelings, they came to her out of nowhere. Going back to her home was a sort of a haze. When her awareness returned to her she was sitting on her living room table. Crossed hands on her forehead felt cold and everything about her just screamed dissociation. But then she took notice her telephone. And she was looking at it because the light indicating a recorded message was blinking.

A trembling finger reached out for the 'play button.

"Katsuragi, It's me."

Kaji's voice, even if distorted for being an answering machine recording, sent ripples of emotion through her. Her eyes started trembling and misting over.

"I'm sure you're listening to this message after I caused you a lot of trouble."

Misato's brows knitted.

"I'm sorry. Tell Rits-chan I'm sorry."

Misato exhaled. Her eyes went downward.

"One more thing to trouble you with: I've grown melons. Shinji knows where they are. I'd appreciate if you could water them for me."

Misato's already downed eyes started trembling, as did her lips.

"Katsuragi… Shadow the Hedgehog has the truth. Find him somehow. Ask him about it. He'll know what you're talking about… and if you don't, he and the other mobians will probably do something more drastic by themselves."

She blinked slowly, the dams threatening to break even more now.

"Don't be afraid. Keep moving ahead."

There was a pause, enough for Misato to give the recording a small smile as the memory of him, her and Ritsuko as college students came back to her.

"Misato, if I see you again… I will say those words I couldn't bring myself to say before, either now or eight years ago."

Misato's dam broke.

"Bye."

Her first tears made small dark circles on her table as the answering machine said the time the message was recorded. Crying openly, her emotions were so overwhelming she didn't even paid attention to the sound of her front door opening.

(SGE)

"This was fun stupid Shinji. We should definitely do this more often."

Shinji smiled as they got out of the elevator. "Yeah, we're usually so busy that all we usually do is sleep together…"

Her smile grew wider as she mockingly punched his shoulder, "Pervert!" She reached for his hand again, "But I mean it, going on a date with you is a lot of fun. You aren't nearly the boring little stupid boy I first thought in our… well…" She colored slightly.

And Shinji couldn't help but to blush too, remembering exactly what she was talking about. "I enjoyed our first date too, Asuka. Even if we… didn't even know who we were back then…"

"Well it's not like we were… I don't know, ready for it."

Shinji nodded, squeezing her hand a bit, "There was a lot of stuff until we actually got together. And I guess doing this and everything else is good for us."

"Especially since you almost died. Right after _I_ almost died."

Shinji gulped, "Sort of."

Asuka actually looked to the other side, "We do have the most dangerous job in the world. We need to make the most of the time we have anyways." She looked at him again to smile, "I would probably still be sulking with Hikari if we weren't together."

"And I would probably be just depressed all the time."

They smiled at each other some more before finally reaching their home and opening the door to their house. The first thing they saw and heard really surprised both of them so much Asuka couldn't even declare they were home.

"You idiot… You are such an idiot," Misato hunched over the table, complaining at the phone.

For the first time in a very long time that came from even before he was absorbed inside his own Evangelion, Shinji looked at the woman that took him in and didn't feel the same hate he felt upon looking at his father. He recognized it easily that it was gone. Maybe he was just mad at her with the whole Kensuke thing months ago or maybe it was how pathetic the poor woman looked right now (and he was seeing only her back). But now all that he felt was sorry for her. Sorry for what he said to her. Sorry for how what he admitted to her, admitting he hated her had affected even Asuka.

That didn't change the fact he had no idea what to say now. 'I'm sorry' would be weird, he didn't really do anything wrong here and Asuka hated when he apologized for nothing. Apologizing for what happened over a month ago wouldn't be false either; he had genuine reasons to have been mad at her and hate her back then, before just now.

So he just went with it, "Misato."

Asuka must have been as affected as he was in seeing their guardian like that; she was just standing there with her mouth half open and didn't do anything as Shinji let go of her hand and reached for the other woman.

"Sh-Shinji-kun!" Misato looked away and rubbed her face with both hands, desperately hiding her face. "I'm-I'm sorry, this was nothing- I didn't…"

Her stumbled stuttered words died out and Shinji forced himself to look and sound calm. "Misato."

She looked him right in the eye. Her face was still messed up and wet. It would be obvious to anyone, even to a child, that she was upset. Misato said nothing.

Asking her what was wrong seemed like an even worse idea than apologizing so instead Shinji just started again, "Misato…"

The woman sniffled.

"I… I don't hate you."

Somehow this seemed like something even worse to do because the Major actually broke down and started crying again. Her knees buckled as if her upper body was too heavy. Shinji almost failed to pick her up before she hit the ground. A moment of tears passed and Misato regained some of her balance. She was clinging to Shinji like a shipwreck survivor clings to a piece of wood, gurgling sobs and her tears wetting his shirt. Another moment later Shinji glanced at Asuka. His girlfriend still had the same worried and almost scared expression but she just shrugged and shook her head slightly and quickly. He looked back at Misato, still sobbing in his arms.

And then even beyond all the pain and tears, Shinji managed to hear out the laugh he was so familiar with. "And to think I'm the one who's supposed to be the strong grown up…"

Shinji blinked. "Um… M-Misato, I-"

Misato looked at him with her puffy eyes and a tired smile, "Thank you Shinji-kun. You're sweet…"

"Okay can you… let go of my boyfriend now Misato?" Asuka tried.

Misato laughed slightly again and backed away from the boy.

Now it was Asuka's turn to smile jokingly, "It's bad enough you took Kaji from me, you know?" The redhead laughed.

Shjinji smiled too but then he realized Asuka's joke had a negative effect, because Misato's face went dark and teary again. She covered her mouth and looked away. The notion that something must have happened to Kaji hit Shinji like a brick.

Asuka blinked, "It… was just a joke Misato, jeez. What-"

"Asuka dear," Shinji interrupted her smartly, actually nervous to do it, but knowing that he had to. "Why don't you turn on the TV? I… don't think Misato wants to talk about what happened, so…"

Asuka blinked at him, looked at Misato one more time and shrugged while turning to the TV, "Alright." Shinji saw Misato mouthing 'thank you' to him. A still dumb folded Asuka rose one eye brow at Misato, "What the hell happened, Misato?"

"It's…" She looked from Shinji to Asuka and shook her head, "It's not important, kids. And what Shinji said was right. I don't wanna talk about it."

Asuka shrugged and turned on the TV and the first thing that flashed into existence shocked them.

It was the news channel and the flashy breaking news story had a title akin to 'UN approached by Aliens'. Three alien like figures all of them recognized easily were in there, being filmed from afar, from the zoom of a camera. Sonic, Shadow and Silver were actually standing in a great hall of the UN's domed inner chambers, the opulence of where they stood was actually jarred by the image because, after all, there were three small anthropomorphic hedgehogs standing in that Great Hall for United Nations representatives.

Misato's jaw was hanging open, her tears forgotten. Shinji stood there by her side dumb folded. Asuka twisted her open mouth in confusion, grimacing. All of them absorbed in stunned silence.

Asuka was the first to recover, "What… what the hell?"

Mouth still hanging open, Misato blinked, "…Um… Kaji did mention they might do something drastic with something they now have…"

Shinji nodded, "Yeah, back at school Kensuke said that too…"

(SGE)

At the threshold of the opulent palace like dome flying several different flags that he figured were of every major country in this world, Sonic wore his signature grin and scratched under his nose. He glanced at the hedgehogs flanking him and saw them nodding at him before taking the few steps forward. Silver and Shadow followed him.

As the three figures approached the building more, they drew the attention of fancy suits and ties that were roaming around. Today was surprisingly crowded. Sonic supposed that was to be expected since today was, as Shadow said it, a day of assembly. The original meeting place of the world's international governing body was destroyed when some city, Sonic thought Shadow had said 'New York' or something was inundated during the immediate after effects of Second Impact.

Given the importance of Japan in the post Impact world order, when a new formal headquarters for the organization as built in 2008, it was located in the new capital of Tokyo-3, along with the setting of NERV. Sonic was surprised he remembered all of that as he arrived at the front steps of the building. Much to the surprise of the front guards, he smiled and simply marched up to the front doors and walked past them.

There was the security post inside. The three of them drew the stares of everyone in the lobby as they dutifully walked the roped line to enter. The middle aged guard motioned them to move and drew their attention.

"I'm, um… I'm gonna have to ask the three of you to empty your bags. And your… pockets?"

Sonic smiled and gave him a thumbs up, "You got it. This stays with me though," Sonic showed the guard the microchip Shadow gave him.

The side bag, pouch and back pack were investigated, the seven Chaos Emeralds including, and it all went pass the x-ray conveyer belt. Once they retrieved it, the middle aged guard spoke again.

"You'll, ah… the three of you will need a visitor badge." He hesitated a bit and looked the small hedgehogs in the eye. His trembling hands hovering above the badges, "Ah… if I'm not mistaken, you are Sonic, Shadow and Silver, yes?"

Sonic grinned and nodded, "You got it!"

The adhesive material of the disposable badge reacted well to the straps of the bags all three hedgehogs were using to keep their emeralds and communicators.

"Yeah, there you go. The assembly is currently in session-"

"This is important!" Sonic was suddenly very serious, "We'll have to butt in. Could you point us to the right direction?"

"Uh, just go around the corner there and to your left, it's the big door with the guards outside."

Sonic's smile returned and he nodded. "Thank you!"

The three of them earned more stares as they walked through the building. As they all stopped to watch him walk by, Sonic remembered Kaji's death, the fact NERV was working for a bad guy and Misato's words from when he was in that juiced up prison. All of those memories, everything he went through in this universe made him square himself up in the hallway. The guards at the door, which was indeed quite large as the first security guard told him, stared at him and then at his fellow hedgehogs with open mouths.

Sonic smiled at them, "S'up?"

The guards blinked. He shook his head, turning serious again. _Focus Sonic. State your business here._

He looked the guards in their eyes, "We gotta talk with the assembly."

The guard on the right laughed, "Slider hedgehogs want to barge in a UN assembly…"

The guard on the left kept his shocked spectrum, "Go right in Mr. Sonic… Shadow and Silver," He nodded at each Hedgehog.

They found themselves at the highest level of a large amphitheater. Marble steps ran down to a dais where the Secretary General, Tomoe Yamada was her name that Sonic made a point in memorizing who he had to talk to, was speaking to the assembly. Actually, babbling on about things like budgets was more accurate.

"Ahem."

Sonic clearing his throat got the attention of Tomoe, she froze when she saw them. That was followed by everyone in the assembly following them with wide eyes.

Sonic smiled and scratched the back of his head, slightly deforming his quills, "I kinda need to talk to you guys."

The hall was dead silent for a moment, until in a rustle of papers and a flapping of pant legs and robes, every single person in the room stood up, many gasps and rushed whispers of questions. Sonic grinned at the entire dome, twirling in his juice and loose stile, making sure he watched everyone as everyone was now watching him. He walked full of attitude and spunk down the steps towards the main podium. He felt all the eyes in the room watching him. The eyes of this world, television cameras clicking to film, photograph and watch his approach. He grinned and gave them something to gape at: he dashed and spin jumped to the podium, crossing the small wall separating the podium and the stairs and the rest of the distance between him and Tomoe Yamada. Silver and Shadow following and landing by his sides.

"May I?" He asked her.

The Secretary General of the United Nations nodded and stepped aside.

Sonic smiled and stepped up. He moved the mic downwards, to be in the height of his mouth, winced at the loud sound it made when his finger tapped it and then breathed.

"Um, Hi. How are you all doing?"

By his left, Shadow groaned, "Sonic…"

"Yeah yeah I know. Listen up every one; we have been involved in almost every Angel battle here in your world, we have been a secret for a while and only when the Angelic Zombie virus almost spread and we sang our concert with ENOZ did we come to the public. Before I actually say what I need to say here, let me clarify some stuff about us."

He nodded at his fellow hedgehogs flanking him. Their nods made his smile broaden and he addressed the entire UN assembly again.

"You see ladies and gentlemen, we're from a world called Mobius."

Tomoe Yamada, still standing beside him, exclaimed, "You're aliens?"

Sonic looked at Tomoe, even though he was still talking to the microphone, "Well, not exactly, ma'am, we're from a whole different Universe."

There was a general silence that befell the whole building.

Sonic scratched his cheek, "That's why we can do what we do." And then he beamed, assertively addressing the entire UN assembly again, "But my skills belong to everybody, to anybody I can save. That's why I've helped and you can be sure I'll keep on helping."

The silence stretched a little more before the whole chamber roared in applause, even Tomoe, still standing there beside him, clapped her hands a little.

Sonic actually waved at everybody, basking in the adoration he hadn't received in a while. Then he grasped both sides of the podium and was all business, like he very rarely had to be, "We have some crucial information concerning the Angel Wars. You see, one of your agents, the inspector Ryoji Kaji, was… murdered by NERV."

There were a few low gasps and the shuffling of papers.

"This may be hard for you to believe but," Sonic held the microchip up high in one hand, for everybody to see, "he came across a plot by very powerful people that wanted to basically destroy your world."

Shadow came to his side at the Podium, "The so called human instrumentality project is not what it seems. It will actually destroy your world as the Angels would. The highest chains of command of NERV and the Instrumentality Committee know this. The intel we managed to gather from the spherical Angel also indicates that is the future some of the corrupt elements in NERV and in the Committee want."

Silver nodded, coming into the Podium by Sonic's other side, "NERV has a lot of good people. They don't know what the higher ups are planning. And we don't know why these chiefs would want something like this."

Sonic nodded too, "But they do. It's what they are trying to do and what they started fifteen years ago." He closed his eyes briefly before continuing, "Inspector Ryoji Kaji died bravely. Trying to uncover this entire shenanigan. The stuff you'll see in this chip here-"

Shadow interrupted him by taking the micro chip from his hand and speaking while displaying it, "the information you will find here is only circumstantial but you will see that not only was the Committee and NERV's commander involved in the disaster of fifteen years ago but also that their ultimate goal was Third Impact itself. Not caused by the Angels, but by them, so that they could become gods."

When the hedgehogs were done the ominous silence reigned within the dome. They kept their faces still and determined, staring at all the suit wearing people in the room. Only now Sonic noticed Tomoe Yamada was on the phone, whispering something. She hung up and looked at them again.

"Those are serious accusations. Are you sure the intel you have can back that up?"

"Yes," Shadow answered before he could, "this information may just be circumstantial but it's still solid and contains the names of everybody involved," He displayed the microchip to her, "If you'll listen to me Madam Secretary, I can vouch for everyone of low ranking at NERV and show what the old men have been up to. All we'd need is-"

WHHHHEEEEEEEEOOOOOOWWWWW!

The Angel alarm made a sudden uproar in the dome, making everyone, including the secretary Tomoe jump and look up, suddenly afraid. Several people were already up and headed out, towards designated shelters.

Sonic narrowed his eyes at nothing in particular, just to look cool and get battle ready, before looking at Shadow again and speaking.

"Your little get together with the _Madam Secretary_ will have to wait Shads."

Shadow nodded at him and addressed Yamada, "We'll talk after taking down this Angel."

The three hedgehogs boosted out of there, wind and swirling papers in their wake. On the main entrance of the UN formal headquarters and after a gust of wind that followed a blue, black and silver blurs, there were three visitor badges with the names of the hedgehogs on them.

 **Author's note: Evangelion belongs to Gainax, Sonic belongs to Sega. Many thanks go to GamerJay for beta reading. I'm sorry this took so long. Work in real life is kicking my ass so hard even my comics are suffering. I also would have posted this chapter yesterday but my internet was down, so…**

 **If you're wondering where did Fuyutsuki's captivity and Misato's imprisonment go, I didn't include those here because, well, other than Fuyutsuki maybe mentioning how unusual the hedgehogs were, nothing was different from the episode 21 of the Anime. Since Misato's imprisonment and Fuyutsuki's interrogation were identical to canon, I skipped it.**

 **I also suppose Kaji's fans hate me now, huh? I'm just sticking more to canon, don't judge me. This was kind of necessary for the UN to believe the hedgehogs and for Shinji and Misato to make up (or for Shinji to forgive Misato depending on how you look at it). Plus I made Gendo into an even bigger bastard and I really liked the scene of Shadow finding Kaji's body. And the scene of the hedgehogs approaching the UN I also thought was pretty sharp. Too bad it was cut off by the next Angel. Let's see how that one gets handled shall we? Until next time.**


	17. Violation, the main path is altered

Disclaimer: Evangelion belongs to Gainax, Sonic belongs to Sega.

Thoughts of gratitude: Big thank you goes to GamerJay for beta reading.

 **Chapter 17:** _ **Violation, the main path is altered**_

Driving to work, taking her two wards to fight the latest threat was a haze. Misato couldn't enjoy or even process the fact Shinji forgave her. How amazing was it that the boy managed to make her feel better by simply holding her and telling her he didn't hate her? She couldn't even think about it, as she went straight for the conveyer belts for the cars to the Geofront.

"Alright kids, off you go. Good luck to the both of you."

Asuka smiled at her before continuing, "Thanks Misato."

Shinji just looked at her with a neutral expression and nodded before leaving.

 _Well that's good enough for me…_

After she dropped her kids off on the spot they would go to their Evas, she headed for the new Central Dogma, activated after the last Angel destroyed the last Area. It would be the first sortie with the command center in a different place just like with everyone else and she was glad she was still as sharp as ever. It didn't even look like just a few minutes ago she was crying like a child and being comforted by a child.

 _No. Young man is the more accurate term. He's a fighter, he has been intimate with the girl he loves and he's… more of an adult than I've ever been…_

RING!

Misato's phone ringing suddenly cut her out of her reverie. And she dreaded the number that came up. She gulped before flipping the phone open.

"Madam Secretary?"

"Yes Major Katsuragi, it's me. I know you must be busy right now but I was having a very interesting conversation just before the Angel attacked.

"I actually saw part of it in the news before I was called in. Did… did Sonic really-"

"Sonic vouched for you."

Misato grinned, "He's really amazing isn't he, Madam Secretary?"

There was a slight pause, as if disguising a throat clearing or a blush, "I have entered in contact with every other one of my channels already, you're the last person I'm calling, but you should know that what Sonic and his two… friends presented me with was stronger than anybody else might have instead. Though the implications of it were rather horrifying."

Misato immediately thought of the whole story Sonic told her when he was still in captivity, shortly before the Angel that took over Unit 03, "They can… have that effect on people."

"Indeed. I will look into this information, the… black one, Shadow, said he'd be in touch. Dealing with the people above NERV and even around here in the body of the UN will come later."

"Alright Ma'am."

"Oh, and Major?"

"Yes Madam Secretary?"

"Good luck."

Misato hesitated but nodded, "Thank you Madam Secretary."

She flipped her phone closed just as she finally passed through the door that led into the new command center.

Ritsuko half glanced at her, "You're late."

She walked into the new Command Center room much like the previous one; as if she owned it, "I dropped Shinji and Asuka off and just spoke with the UN," then she addressed everyone in the room, "What's the situation?"

Aoba spoke up, "Target is hovering in orbit! Just outside of our Positron riffle range. Took a while for us to detect it!"

The main screen of the new main terminal flashed a glowing winged being. The wings were impractically pointy and edgy for flight but it stayed still in orbit either way. And that was all that could be seen of it.

"This is our maximum zoom setting," said Hyuga, "It's just standing there not doing anything and maintaining that distance." He narrowed his eyes. "We can't get at it easily.

"So is it going to come down to fight or does it plan to attack us from where it is?" Misato asked aloud to no one in particular.

Hyuga spoke again, "We can't reach it."

"At any rate we can't do anything unless it moves to within our firing range. The Evas can't engage an enemy in orbit." She glanced at Maya, "How's Rei?"

"She and Unit 00 are in good condition. Ready for deployment."

"Alright. Unit 00, Move out, prepare for long distance firing. Unit 02, Asuka, be ready for a sortie as a back up."

Inside her entry plug, Asuka's face went from battle ready to puzzled, "Me, as backup for the First?"

"Yes. Take the rear guard."

"Um, Misato you do realize I messed up last time because of… personal reasons right? Reasons that involved you and stupid Shinji?"

Misato narrowed her eyes; actually feeling the small jab at what happened just a few weeks ago, how it all coveted to happen all at once; Shinji being mad at her and whatever Asuka was going through at the same time because of Shinji being gone since he was absorbed when the strongest Angel attacked. "What's your point, Asuka?"

"My sync ratio is still the highest. You're making your number one pilot do back up, because…?"

Misato sighed, "Rei has more experience in firing at objects from a distance."

Asuka grimaced, "Well what about stupid Shinji then?"

"Unit 01 has been frozen by strict orders of Commander Ikari." She narrowed her eyes to the side, "That's to be expected after that last incident."

Asuka still didn't look happy but relented, "Alright fine. But just because I got to shine on past occasions…"

(SGE)

In her usual monotone after having witnessed the whole exchange between the Second Child and Major Katsuragi, Rei declared, "Unit 00, moving out."

She flicked the launch switch and the Evangelion launch pad catapulted her to the surface. The light blue behemoth arrived at the surface with a thud and calmly gazed around. It was raining heavily. Rei picked up the positron sniper rifle from the ground that had emerged shortly after her, which seemed even bigger than she remembered for some reason, and got as closest as she could to the weapons depot (that was actually as big as a building) and then finally placed the single eye of her Eva in the scope, with her finger ready to fire.

Silence.

The whirring of the face machinery to augment her sight came down and covered her face. She calmly took aim and watched the target come into alignment.

Beeping of the Angel in orbit and her crosshair aligning.

"Target still outside of firing range. Waiting for aim lock."

The command bridge and her back up gave her no answer.

As the aim was about to lock on, several things happened at once: Rei's field of vision was filled with light; the same light inundated her very mind as if it was going straight to her brain; her tightly shut eyes tear up and she processed the pain to the point of tears as she hadn't in a very long time; her throat soared and her mouth went wide.

(SGE)

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Everyone in the command center was flabbergasted at the intensity of the scream that filled every communication channel of Unit 00. Absolutely nobody in that deck, not even the Commander, would even conceive that the quiet, emotionless and restrained First Child was capable of such a soul chilling scream.

"What's happening?!" yelled Misato.

(SGE)

Black nothingness was all she could see. She felt it was all that she knew.

FLASH!

Laboratory. Sterile environment. Sterile colors.

FLASH!

A LCL tank with countless little girls that looked exactly like her for some reason. She finally understood what director Ikari meant with 'she's the first'. That made her feel bad for some reason. So she wandered the base even though she knew she shouldn't.

FLASH!

Grown up hands around her neck. The old hag's hands. Her neck breaks. Her sight is going dark. She silently wishes 'the second' luck.

FLASH!

'Freak' is what they call her in school. Why does she have to go to school? Hasn't she already learned everything she should to fulfill her purpose? Why must she endure this?

FLASH!

Pain and boredom. A lot of pain and Boredom. Inside the LCL tank, waiting. Nothing but waiting. Waiting to fulfill her purpose. Unit 00 rejects her. More pain. Lots of boredom.

FLASH!

(SGE)

Displayed on the main screen of Central Dogma, Unit 00 contorted and convulsed, ever so slightly, just enough for the trembling of the sniper rifle to be perceived. At the same time the 'warning' signal was blinking red and the image of Rei grimacing in pain. Gritting her teeth as if struggling with bad memories, Rei raised her weapon again and fired. The shots missed, clearing part of the rainy sky.

"Positron charge dismissed!" screamed a tech Misato didn't know.

"It's no use! We're out of Range!" Aoba screamed.

Misato stared passively and with a grimace at the emotionless pilot, contorting inside her entry plug as if in unspeakable pain. It must have taken Rei a lot of restraint to not keep firing and empty her ammunition at the sky. She approached Hyuga.

"What's the analysis of that Ray of light?!"

"Energy wave of visible Wavelength. Similar to an AT field but details are unknown."

"Unit 00's mental contamination has broken the borderline!" Maya screamed suddenly.

(SGE)

 _Ah. So you dislike pain?_

 _Who are you? Why are you entering me? What do you want?_

 _To understand you. To see all of you._

 _Are you showing me this? These memories are… not pleasant._

 _I realize that but there was no other way to break through these strange barriers. I am also confused by this outcome. Shouldn't you be… different? Shouldn't it be a different one?_

 _What do you mean?_

 _I knew I was supposed to see pain. But I was supposed to know it. As were you._

 _I know what pain is._

 _Do you really? Because I think pain is all you ever know, so you can't tell the difference. Not really. Much like me it seems, you can't perceive the different spectrums that creation and separation entails._

(SGE)

Unit 00 was contorting slightly, still holding on to the riffle but still struggling and contorting. Rei was grunting and shaking her head from one extreme to another.

"Rei, what is happening?!" Yelled Misato, she then addressed the command bridge, "What is wrong with her?!"

"Her psycho graph is at the critical point!" yelled Maya.

Misato gritted her teeth. "Rei, retreat!"

"Aa- Ah!"

"Rei, did you hear me?! I said _retreat_!"

Unit 00 now contort in a turning manner but still seemed to be having difficulty in making specific movements.

"That's… not true…" Rei's whisper seemed not directed at Misato and was almost completely blocked by all of the sirens and warnings blaring.

"What? Rei?"

(SGE)

 _That's not true. Maybe it was once but…_

FLASH!

Commander Ikari is smiling at her. She's eating dinner with Commander Ikari. Commander Ikari's expression is distant but he's there with her.

FLASH

 _Hasn't that man started ignoring you and keeping his distance from you?_

 _He explained that was because he was keeping an asset close to him at all times, an asset essential to the scenario._

 _Why does that matter? Did it not hurt like it always does when you were separated?_

FLASH!

She slapped Shinji for insulting Commander Ikari. She protected Shinji. Shinji is now running towards the Angel even though the Angel is firing his particle bean at him. Unit 01 kept running after losing three of its limbs.

FLASH!

The sound of unit 01 stabbing her entry plug entrance wakes her up and Shinji enters being very worried about her.

FLASH!

Shinji told her he loved Asuka. Shinji explained her what 'love' was. Shinji is smiling. She is thinking about Shinji smiling. She loves Shinji too.

FLASH!

 _But I learned what love is. I felt what love is._

FLASH!

Being in the enormous form of Unit 00, she didn't even feel Sonic the Hedgehog landing on her chest plating, but she did hear his plea and saw him holding on to her chest.

"Rei! Can you hear me?! You can't just run up to it! It is, like, vomiting a constant waterfall of acid!" he raised a hand to emphasize his plead.

FLASH!

Sonic nodded, "I'm not as good as Shadow with Chaos Control and there's nothing saying it won't melt me with acid even if I teleport." He looked back out the shaft Eva 00 was in and up, "You also dropped your rifle so we can't shoot it."

FLASH!

Sonic glanced back at her, Rei could have sworn it was worriedly, "Don't talk like you have to go to a losing battle Rei!"

FLASH!

"Wait! Loose!" his fist holding the emerald hit the other palm, "That's it!" He turned to her again instantly, "Rei, do you know how to -AHEM- play ball?"

FLASH!

 _I have seen meaning in the struggle for survival in more than just following my orders. Sonic even has fun doing it. It amuses him._

 _This is about survival?_

 _Yes._

 _Even though if you die you can be replaced?_

FLASH!

Rei was small, six years old she seemed. The Rei next to her was exactly the same. She realized she was watching her own naked form throughout a big row of 'copies' of her. Staring at her blankly from behind a giant round tank. It was amazing that even though she was very small she could tell that was a blank stare and what was going on.

"Director Ikari, what… am I the Second one of these?"

"You are. And it's Commander Ikari now, Rei-chan. GERHIRN has been reorganized into the military organization NERV.

FLASH!

 _I made my peace with that a long time ago._

 _Did it not seem worse now that you have other things besides pain?_

 _Yes. But I see that as a reason to fight harder. Now I can fight for things I care about, instead of just fighting and being in pain._

The pain faded slightly and Rei was suddenly inside her Eva again, even though the blinding light was still somehow causing her pain, she could feel her own consciousness again. She realized what was happening and she was hearing Major Katsuragi's voice again.

(SGE)

"Rei! Are you reading me?! I said retreat!"

"I'm- I'm trying Major… AH!" The Main screen of the Command Center showed Unit 00 still contorting and squirming as if having a seizure. "He's… t-trying to talk t-to me again!"

Rei stuttering made Misato blink, "Trying to talk to-? Rei what are you talking about?"

"Borderlines of the mind are in critical state!" Maya screamed again.

"Alright I got this!" Now it was Asuka that screamed.

 _Wait, Asuka?_

Misato looked at the monitor that showed Unit 02: The red behemoth was holding the biggest sniper positron riffle that NERV had. There was a thundery sound of Unit 00 falling back on its behind and running for cover as it still contorted and squirmed.

"Rei! Retreat damn it!"

"Pilot Sor-r-ryu needs a clear shot Major!" Rei exclaimed as Unit 00 remained half hidden, still squirming behind the building used as cover.

(SGE)

 _Stupid doll. Of course it would fall to me to do this._

 _Okay that's not fair Soryu. You know what she's like. You saw how she feels about the commander, what she told you, how she would kill herself for him. And you don't know what that strange light is doing to her._

 _Let's just get this over with._

As if in sync to her inner monologue, she realized her own sniper rifle, the big one Rei used against the fifth Angel, was already charged, her support crew saying the weapon was ready to be fired and the aim she had been aligning with the target for some time now, ever since Rei started screaming, was finally in place.

She took the shot.

(SGE)

Satellite imagery showed the Angel deflecting Asuka's shot with the familiar hexagonal patterns of an AT field in the Main screen of Central Dogma.

(SGE)

"Gott in himmel! Charge another shot!" Asuka screamed, struggling to keep her head in the snipering visor.

Light flooded her sight and she immediately understood why Rei had screamed.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

(SGE)

"Angel switched its focus to Unit 02!" Screamed Shigeru.

"Same effects seem in Unit 00 now appearing in Unit 02!" Hyuga this time.

"Let me fight f- Commander Ikari!"

Shinji's screaming suddenly caught everyone's attention, including Gendo's.

Luckily this was one occasion he would grant his son his wish. "As of right now the freezing order on Unit 01 has been lifted." He then addressed his communications panel, "Third Child, you will descend to Terminal Dogma, ignore whatever you see and grab the lance shoved in the white giant."

He heard his formed teacher actually gasp beside him, "I-Ikari. You will use the Lance of Longinus?!"

Everyone else except Akagi seemed to focus on him. It appeared he and the doctor were the only ones who noticed the Second child grunting out would be screams of pain as Unit 02 was now contorting just like Unit 00.

"We have no choice if we're to destroy a target in orbit with an AT field we can't reach. Hurry, Third Child."

(SGE)

Misato was thankful the screams that now came from Asuka distracted her enough for her to think about this.

 _So it was a lie. If the Commander can order something like this, Second Impact was not caused by contact of Adam with an Angel…_

Sonic's words when he was still under arrest in HQ and the story he told her came immediately to her mind.

 _Did the commander and the Committee really cause Second Impact? Are they really planning to cause Third Impact?_

(SGE)

 _How the hell did Wonder Girl manage to withstand this?!_

Pain laced Asuka's head as if worms were clawing around inside her brain.

She grunted, ground her teeth and clasped her own head, shaking it. She bit the insides of her cheeks to avoid screaming again. She felt her Eva contorting a bit more before tasting her own blood.

 _Come on Soryu, keep it together. Wonder Girl did and Shinji is coming with some sort of Lance to throw at this thing. You just have to-_

 _Oh my, this pain runs even worse than the other one. So much easier to see._

 _What-?! Who are you?! What are you-?!_

(SGE)

"WAAAAAAHHHH! NOOOOOO! DON'T GO INTO ME!"

Misato turned back to the Main screen, "Asuka!"

"Unit 02's mental contamination has broken the borderline! A lot faster and more severe than Unit 00!" Maya screamed again.

(SGE)

"Come on come on come ON!" Shinji ground his teeth and complained as the cable descended into the depths of the base he never even knew existed and the techs rambled on about which doors were being opened as he was slowly lowered.

His Evangelion looked up, "Asuka…"

It was like her scream had been a barbwire of thorns wrapping itself around his heart and he found himself instantly begging for the crane carrying him to go faster. He had to save Asuka. He HAD to.

In the deepest abyss of the base, parts he had never even thought existed before; he looked at the big corridor that seemed to have an Eva passes by it as its sole purpose. There were several religious like indentations, crosses mostly, all around him as he walked the dark corridor with red lights. The eerie creepy like environment would have distracted him and crept him out if it wasn't for Asuka's screams in his com unit.

"Follow north of the path you are now. You will see a white giant with a spear in its chest. Remove the spear and bring it to the surface and prepare to wield it."

Shinji fought the bile that threatened to come up as the commander spoke. He thought he heard someone behind his fa- the commander whispering in his com unit something like 'the old men will be furious' and did as he was told. His Eva ran the giant path, small for an Evangelion, and even glittered as he stepped forward.

On the end of this path there was a big gate, big enough for an Evangelion to walk upright through. To his surprise though, there was nothing on the end of that path and across the giant door.

Shinji blinked, "Um… what?"

(SGE)

Asuka was in a dark corridor. Asuka was strangely small. Her confusion seemed overshadowed though because she just kept running. She was excited about something.

 _What?_

How small she was actually made it difficult for her to run faster. She wanted to get to a room as fast as she could.

 _Wait… no no NO! I know this!_

She wanted to see her and tell her, she was sure this would make her look at her again and the stupid doll.

 _NOOO! Don't make me remember this! Don't make me see this again!_

She opened the door and her mother was hanging from the ceiling. The little doll with 'Asuka' written on it was right beside her.

FLASH!

"Hi. I am Asuka Langley Soryu. Pleased to meet you!"

FLASH!

"Be it kissing and beyond, I am always ready for you!" she tore down her sundress, not quite ripping it but exposing her small cleavage. "See me!" She pleaded.

He embraced her to his own belly, hiding what she exposed, pinning her so she wouldn't move and finally, patting her head like a child.

Like a _gott damn_ child.

FLASH!

 _NOOO! NO none of these are the real me!_

"…Asuka…"

She turned to see the source of the soft voice that called out to her. A voice she recognized easily and would have given her relief if she wasn't in so much pain.

 _SHINJI!_

FLASH!

"Shinji!"

The boy remained stoic, staring at her emotionlessly.

"Shinji, please! You have to help me!"

The lips in the same emotionless face barely moved, "Why would I help you?"

Shock, disbelief, betrayal and even greater fear over everything that was happening coarsed through Asuka like a knife. "No! NO! We're together! You're MINE!"

"But that is not really true is it?

"What?! Shinji, I-! W-we went out when-"

"The only reason you went out with me was because I was a 'stranger' and that was perfect to make you get over Kaji."

FLASH!

"B-but then we-!"

"And then you went out with me because you were bored, accepted my care just because you were hurting. It was all for yourself."

FLASH!

"No no no you have to help me! I helped you! I gave you my virginity!"

"Just because of how _you_ felt. Because you wanted to do something for me because that's what a good girlfriend does. It was never about me even though I told you exactly _why_ I was hurting. You even said 'this is all I can do for you'. Sleeping with me was the only thing you could do. You could have never opened up to me."

FLASH!

"You love me! You told me you love me!"

"And again; you only said it back to me only for yourself; because of the fear _you_ felt when you thought I was gone."

FLASH!

"But-! S-Shinji please-!"

"Besides, what makes you think I really love you? I don't know you. I just know the 'you' that you showed me. You never really showed me all of you. Seeing you naked was not seeing all of you. You didn't even tell me what happened to your mother and why. All you told me is 'she took her own life'."

FLASH!

"If I was to see the 'real' you, I'd be disgusted at you and hate you, just like I was disgusted at and hated Misato the moment I saw her true self…"

Asuka ran away in tears.

(SGE)

"What?!" In a _very_ rare display of emotion, the commander of NERV stood up from his chair slamming his fists on the command table, nearly cutting his son off, "WHAT DID YOU SAY THIRD CHILD?!"

"I said, 'Commander Ikari, sir, there is nothing here! There's only a cross and there's nothing on it'!"

"DISPLAY THE SIGHT MONITOR OF UNIT 01!"

With the yelling of that order, the sub-commander interjected. "Is showing Terminal Dogma like this wise, Ikari?"

"SHOW ME WHAT THE THIRD CHILD IS SEEING!"

The main screen of Central Dogma blinked a dark abyss like chamber that was half filled with LCL. A gigantic cross in the middle of it. And now something that was even more rare than Commander Ikari having an outburst. He appeared in disbelieving shock. Visible wide eyes behind the dark glasses.

Commander Ikari worked his mouth. Shock and disbelief still tainting his face. Fuyutsuki knew exactly what he was thinking in repeat.

 _Lilith is gone…_

Gendo's face didn't change even when Lieutenant Ibuki made yet another unexpected declaration.

"Red Pattern detected! It's- they are in a massive amount of energy, approaching Eartth's low orbit!"

Fuyutsuki saw Major Katsuragi snapping out of her surprise over what the Ikari boy said, "Show the satellite imagery of the area!"

Maya typed in her keyboard and the image of Lilith's empty cross on the sight of Unit 01 was replaced by an image of earth's low orbit with the Angel in the distance, three small shiny dots flying towards the Angel.

(SGE)

The times Sonic had gone Super in outer space were rare and far in between; he had stopped the ARK colony with Shadow and he had stopped Eggman from taking over Angel Island and the Master Emerald. He remembered immediately how he enjoyed the extra feel of freedom from flying in a vacuum but hated the fact he had no safety nets out there, not even air to breathe. Completely dependent on his super form, on the Chaos Energy flowing through him. Despite that, his red eyes and his bright smile and his even brighter golden spikes still shined through, a guiding light to the other two hedgehogs flying by both his sides and the seven Chaos emeralds twirling around the three of them, thrumming with power.

"Alright guys! He's got some sort of light beam and his protective AT Field."

By his left and slightly behind him, Silver nodded, "Let's get past through and destroy it. We need to do this fast."

Sonic gave him a thumb up, "Fast is my specialty, especially when I'm super!"

Shadow rolled his eyes in annoyance, "He means we have no safety net out there in outer space, Sonic. We're barely still able to speak to each other with what little air is up here." Then he narrowed his eyes at their target, "We have to synchronize our thoughts like never before guys. We won't be able to speak to each other once we're in outer space, closer to the Angel."

Silver nodded, "We also can't let his light hit us. It took down two of the Evangelions easily."

Sonic scratched his nose "Right. Same as usual; hit bad guy, don't let bad guy hit you. I got it." His eyes focused on the winged bright thing outside of the atmosphere, "Let's do this!"

The sensation of being surrounded by air and their sense of hearing vanished completely.


	18. Vindication, the End begins

**Chapter 18:** _ **Vindication, the end begins**_

CRACK, SWOSH!

In his bolt of lightning form that he could use only when he was super, Sonic flew out of the way of the light beam that would have done something very bad to him, though he still didn't know what.

 _Darn it! We can't get close to this thing! If I was alone maybe, but…_

That was a very hard thing to admit because right now he and his two companions could move at basically the speed of thunder.

 _But so does this thing's beam of light…_

CRACK SWOSH!

… _And I'm pretty sure whatever it does can't be good!_

It was never easy when something, anything, was faster than him.

Sonic shook his head violently. _No! That's not what's happening! The light beam this thing fires is NOT faster than me! I'm gonna get through this!_

He would have yelled that atop his lungs if he wasn't in the vacuum of space being sustained by the seven Chaos Emeralds. Shadow seemed to pick up on his thoughts and frustration or was maybe having the same kind of thoughts and feeling similar frustration. He pointed down towards the atmosphere.

The three hedgehogs took the hint but hesitated in retreating, even if it was only for a time being. Nevertheless Shadow insisted and the three of them descended away from the Angel. It was still firing its strange light on them but it was now easier to dodge and since the hedgehogs were surrounded by at least some air, they could hear sounds again.

"What is happening Shads?"

"You know what's happening Sonic. We can't reach it. Its light beam is too fast and too wide to get around it."

"I'm not admitting something is faster than me, especially when I'm shining yellow like this!" Sonic grimaced and gestured at himself.

"We need a wider arc of attack flight if we are to reach it and-"

"LOOK OUT!"

Silver's scream that cut Shadow off was all they heard before flying away at nearly the speed of thunder to avoid yet another beam of light that threatened to connect. They were now further back to the earth's sky and further away from the Angel. The end of the atmosphere right above them.

"Phew! That was close!" Sonic breathed, "Okay Shadow, I'm listening. You got a plan?"

"We can ride the edge of the atmosphere to surpass even the speed that we have now."

Sonic grimaced, "Won't that be dangerous? Tails explained to me once that I gotta be careful not to go faster than light speed when I'm in super form because that might be too much even for Super Sonic."

Shadow nodded, "Making your mass become infinite and time freeze from your perspective is dangerous for anyone but we wouldn't surpass that speed. We would simply ride the wave of air and then take advantage of the air resistance that would suddenly disappear as we left the atmosphere."

Sonic smiled understandingly, "Right at the center of the Angel, going full 'almost light speed' ahead."

Shadow nodded, "Exactly. With the force and velocity we will have, we'll pass right through him"

"But shadow," Silver spoke for the first time after they dodged that latest volley of strange light, "If we do that, won't we be aiming for his center, and hence be vulnerable to this strange light beam he has?"

"It will be for just a second. Our invulnerability will probably protect us."

Sonic rose an eyebrow, " _'Probably_ protect us', huh?"

Shadow narrowed his eyes, "We don't have a choice. Do either of you know how to get closer to it while dodging his attack AND to deliver a blow strong enough to pass his AT field?"

Sonic shook his head a little. "Nope."

Silver became silent, a worried expression on his face.

Sonic looked upwards, "Well it's decided then." His determined smirk returned, "Let's fly right through him!"

(SGE)

Misato was as dumbfounded as most of the people on the command bridge.

Luckily Rei and Asuka had stopped their yelling, their voices down to just small moans with the Angels light beam attack focusing on trying to hit the hedgehogs flying around. It took her a while to once again accept those little creatures, using the same form they used against the last Angel, shortly before Unit 01 went berserk. They were actually using the seven Chaos Emeralds to manifest themselves like that; flying, nigh invulnerable and shining golden yellow instead of their usual colors.

But this time the focus was not entirely on the battle: Commander Ikari slumped on his chair and stayed there in a defeated like posture ever since the main screen showed Unit 01's vision of Terminal Dogma, showing that the white Giant Kaji, Shadow and Silver had showed her was no longer there.

 _Kaji said it was the first Angel but… Whatever that thing was, it was very important to your plans, wasn't it Commander?_

She considered what Sonic said about her boss again and wondered what he could possibly gain by destroying the world. She looked to the side as she realized that this was the first time she actually considered that maybe her boss wanted to murder the world. She then turned her attention back to the three hedgehogs fighting the Angel, which was now their best hope since two Evangelions and their commander were stunted.

 _If push comes to shove I can still order Shinji-kun to the surface_. _Let's hope the hedgehogs manage to defeat it and it doesn't come to that._

(SGE)

Sonic didn't even feel the distance of the horizon disappearing beneath him as he soared. He was _that_ fast. And then finally…

CRACK! SWOSH!

…he exploded in his lightning form, dragging Shadow and Silver right behind him, by his sides. True to Shadow's prediction however, he was engulfed by the eerie beam of light this Angel could fire.

 _Ah, you. I felt you and your companions through Tabris._

And then he was shocked and surprised to hear a voice in his head. In the fraction of second, experienced in substantially slowed down time, which it took for him to process what he just heard, he steeled his unshakeable resolve and kept going as a thunderbolt towards the Angel's center.

It was no use.

FLASH!

 _What the-?!_

FLASH!

 _What's happening? Wait…!_

FLASH!

 _Am I in Green Hill? Is that Tails?_

FLASH!

Sonic approached his fox friend in a hurry, suddenly remembering how much he missed him and everyone else in his home universe.

"Tails! What's up little dude!"

The fox remained still. Sonic noticed everything else was very still, except for him. In fact, he'd go as far as to say everything else was in a complete stand still, in a time freeze, except for him.

"Um… what?"

He looked around and it suddenly hit him, "Wait, wasn't I… doing something important as Super Sonic? Why…? How…?" His attention went back to Tails when he once again noticed time didn't seem to be flowing for the fox.

(SGE)

FLASH!

Shadow raised an eyebrow and cocked his head in confusion, "I'm… in the ARK colony?"

He looked around and, though his sight and his memory seemed blurry, this was definitely the ARK colony where he was 'born' and raised.

"But… wasn't I doing… something else? In space?"

There was a soft laughter that filled his heart with joy, a laugh that was like a bundle of soft clear flower petals. "We _are_ in space, Shadow."

Shadow widened his eyes. _No. No it CANNOT be!_

(SGE)

FLASH!

Silver was confused he could breathe without the aid of the Chaos Energy coursing through him. Even more confused he was breathing fire and brimstone; something that he was very familiar with and that he thought he would never have to breathe again. Fire, brimstone and destruction.

FLASH!

"Wha…? Is… is this Crisis City?"

He wasn't sure why he was confused or why he was seeing all this destruction again but he was pretty sure about the immediate sense of urgency he felt, overwhelming him as if something important was about to happen.

He looked to the side and understood why.

"Blaze?" His eyes widened and his lips quivered as fire enveloped his best friend.

(SGE)

"Tails?! TAILS?!"

His friend was still indifferent to his yelling. Time still seemed to have stopped for everything else.

FLASH!

"What the heck is happening?"

FLASH!

"Knuckles? KNUCKLES!"

The red echidna remained still even as Sonic approached the Master Emerald.

"Look Knuckles: I'm gonna destroy the Master Emerald if you don't move."

The idle threat did nothing. Knuckles remained still. He remained moving too fast, instantaneously fast.

FLASH!

So fast in fact that now he was in front of Amy.

"Amy? AMES?!"

The pink hedgehog too remained still. She was reaching down, for her shoe with an unmade lace.

"I'm gonna grow into an old hedgehog in the time it takes for you to tie your shoe laces Amy…"

He ran away again, right back to Tails. When he approached his fox friend's face, he noticed the eyes were now half closed.

"Tails you are… blinking…"

And now Sonic sat down and hugged his own knees, laying the head on the arms.

"I'm too fast… So fast everything else is still… I'm not even in the white timeless world and that's what it feels like…"

Nobody said anything to his conclusion. There was nothing anywhere.

(SGE)

Blood flew from the small teenage girl's torso, tainting the blue dress.

"NOOOO! MARIA!"

He was seeing his world shattering, falling down and then coughing blood.

His world was dying.

"P-please… Shadow…"

"Ma-Maria, no no no NO! Maria please-!"

FLASH!

With what little strength she had left, Maria pushed him to the last functional escape pod.

(SGE)

FLASH!

And then it hit Sonic. "I'm running. I can still run!"

He ran, though he was still in a time standing still world, "There! See? Now I gotta figure out a way to slow down!"

 _There's a sentence I never thought I'd say… But moving so fast everything else seems to be still is not cool._

Existence flooded him again, his fear was beaten. Even though he barely registered _fear_ was what he felt.

 _I… I think that was the first time I ever felt it in fact…_

With that thought he was once again in space, going straight to the Angel. A very tiny fraction of a second passed before he hit a very powerful AT field.

(SGE)

She wipes the blood from her chin, looking surprisingly mature for her age, "Please… do it for me. For a better future. For all the people who live on that planet. Give them a chance to be happy. Let them live for their dreams, Shadow…."

 _No! Maria, please!_

She was shaking as she set up the escape pod he was in, "I know you can do it. That's the reason you were brought into this world. Sayonara Shadow the hedgehog."

 _Maria! Maria!_

His voice wouldn't come out. Not clearly enough.

 _Maria I… I will… respect your wish. I shall sleep. And when I… awaken… I… will…_

His mind faded along with his consciousness but then he remembered he had awakened. He remembered he had gone through this already.

 _That's right! I was not meant to be an instrument of vengeance and fear! Maria wanted me to help people!_

He took a deep breath and reality began to settle back in.

 _This fear is pointless, in every way. As fear always is._

And so existence flooded him again, his fear was beaten. Although he still felt he would never be able to let go of Maria's ghost, he still made out where he was (space) and what his target was (the Angel just ahead). A very tiny fraction of a second passed before he hit a very powerful AT Field.

(SGE)

As his resolve reached full force, he readied his lungs to yell and, though he failed to notice it, the scenario of Crisis city began cracking, as if that reality was breaking down.

"I have defeated you Iblis! I have defeated your partner Mephiles and your master Solaris! I have conquered every single one of these fears! What made you think these exact same fears would get the best of me…" Silver glided full force towards the fiery abomination that took everything from him, but as he came very near to it he finished his question, "Angel?!"

The cracks in the scenario of Crisis City became fully fledged fractures, crossing everything around Silver. As he directed his telekinesis towards the only thing still not cracked, Iblis, the reality around him crashed and the pieces of it revealed outer space, earth just below him, and Iblis became the Angel he was currently fighting, Super Sonic and Super Shadow alongside him. He also remembered he was moving, he was flying very fast and a very tiny fraction of a second passed before he hit a very powerful AT Field.

(SGE)

Sonic grinned upon realizing his two hedgehog counterparts also snapped out of the fear funk caused by the Angel. Immediately after grinning he spun. A Super Sonic spin, in his Super Sonic lightning form without any air or anything at all to slow him down, coupled with the force of impact and the two hedgehogs who imitated his attack. The AT field shattered, pierced by three tiny supersonic balls who passed through it at near light speed.

Sonic, Shadow and Silver then pierced the Angel's body, exactly like they pierced the AT field.

They began their descent back down to Earth at the same time the Angel started falling down and cracking into tiny pieces of fading light, as if the Angel was made of light that was now fading because it was dead.

As the three super hedgehogs descended, Sonic gave his buddies a thumb up and a smile, to which they nodded, though didn't smile back. Sonic would say something now about what the Angel made them see but remembered there was no air to transmit sound.

 _We'll talk when we're back on the ground. 'Guess we should try to talk to Asuka and Rei too…_

(SGE)

Misato walked the immense park like structure of the Geofront's depths. Yesterday and most of today were insane on so many levels; not only did the hedgehogs claimed the Angel kill entirely for the first time, not being aided by the Evas at all, the commander also retreated to his office and then went out of it and was not seen since the Angel was defeated. The usual operations of retrieving the Evas back didn't went smoothly as usual. Asuka was pretty affected by whatever the Angel showed her. Heck even Rei seemed even more expressionless than usual. Not only that, but the most worrying of it all, the Angel that NERV was keeping in Terminal Dogma was now gone for some reason. And even the Commander showed worry and shock for a change.

So, the wounds in Asuka's mind were probably too fresh since it happened only one day ago for her to do anything, plus she also received a message from Hyuga; he apparently had found the information she asked for, shortly before Kaji was killed. She could only hope Shinji would have provided enough for Asuka in her state but right now she had a meeting place to get to.

She approached the ledge of the electric line that run the light poles running in the sidewalk, HQ being reconstructed could be seen on the other side. The bench where Hyuga was waiting for her was just a few meters away.

"Major Katsuragi," he stated without even looking at her, emphasizing the seriousness. Misato would have chuckled at the guy trying to be cool if the situation couldn't be more serious.

She sat on the bench Hyuga was leaning on, "What have you got for me, Hyuga-kun?"

Hyuga breathed, "It's about the Mass Production Evangelion Series, Units 05 up to Unit 13. They've been being under construction for a while now, under the rugs, since they're nearing completion. China, Germany, two cities of Russia, two cities of the USA and Brazil are handling the construction effort."

Misato had to suppress a shiver and made an effort to keep her face composed, "Are you sure about this, Hyuga-kun?"

"Yes."

"So they had started production of the Evangelions up until unit 13? In seven places all over the world?"

"Yes. The information came via Shanghai. The source is reliable."

Misato made it a point for herself in searching for what Kaji died trying to find, or at least what he gave Shadow and the other hedgehogs. She was way past beyond the point of using Makoto's little crush as leverage so here she was now, sitting down and laying her back to a bench in the Geofront, Hyuga standing just behind her. .

She narrowed her eyes to the side, "This doesn't make any sense. Why speed up construction now? After everything…"

"We did lose two Eva units recently. And two other were severely damaged. And with whatever the latest Angel did to the pilots…"

"This isn't some sort of contingency for a backup plan Hyuga-kun. They have another reason for wanting another Eva series this soon, this late in the game."

Hyuga hesitated and turned his head to her, "What makes you so sure about that? We have even recently received Eva parts that were originally for Units 05 and 06. The budget was recently doubled."

Misato was still frowning, thinking about how to answer the tech. How could she possibly relay the past events without saying what the freaking Secretary of the United Nations told her during the Angel battle?

"It's… It's nothing Hyuga-kun. Just a thought.

Ominous awkward silence.

"We should… Get back to work Hyuga-kun." She smiled when she finally looked at him, "Come on I'll give you a lift."

Misato registered amusement at how shocked and then happy the young tech was.

(SGE)

"Are you sure about this Shadow?"

"No I am not. But what Sonic said made sense. If we saw what we saw, can you imagine what Rei and Asuka saw? Somebody should talk to the kids…"

Silver grunted, "Did he have to point out Rei shares the same emotionlessness with us before sending us off?"

"No he didn't. But he's Sonic." Shadow grunted after his latest climbing effort, "Why couldn't we just put the two Section 02 guards patrolling the building to sleep and use the front door?"

"These people don't know the Commander they are working for. We don't get to beat them unconscious because of _his_ orders to bring us down."

As Silver said that they finished their ascension and were now in the porch that led into Rei's apartment. Shadow grunted at his response and said, "You're sounding more and more like Sonic," before knocking on Rei's door.

"Yeah well, maybe he's not half bad." Silver took note that Rei's porch door wasn't made of glass like they usually were. Perhaps a relic of before Impact? "Just remember you have to go meet the Secretary of the UN after this. I'll meet up with Sonic, see how his thing with Shinji and Asuka went."

Shadow nodded, still looking at the porch door. "I don't think she heard me." He said before knocking again.

Another moment passed. Shadow was about to knock again when the door opened.

(SGE)

Rei didn't know, she didn't understand why she had to lie down, but she did anyway. It was like she didn't have a choice in the matter, like she couldn't 'not lie down'.

 _Why do I feel like this? I am not ill. I am uninjured. So why?_

This was a whole new spectrum of feeling for her. She kept seeing the images the Angel showed her over and over in her head and just couldn't stop. So she didn't even turn her head when she heard knocking in her porch door. She dismissed it as wind or something else.

Another three knocks debunked that assumption. Perhaps it was a bird? Slowly she turned to the door leading to her porch, closed as everything else in her house (she was just lying down in the afternoon dark) and got up to open it slowly. She felt her eyes widening slightly when she did.

Shadow the Hedgehog stood there, as if about to knock again.

"Um… hello," the black anthropomorphic hedgehog sounded unsure for some reason.

"Hello," she felt expressionless and with the same nagging dragging down feeling again.

Shadow narrowed his red eyes at her, "You sound worse than I thought."

Rei blinked, "I do? Wait, why would you think I would sound bad?"

Shadow hesitated, "May I…" He glanced at Silver, "May _we_ come in?"

Rei stepped aside and opened the door entirely.

"Pardon us the intrusion," They stepped in, Rei took extra note of the white and red shoes on Shadow and the black boots on Silver. "Forgive us also for entering through your porch. I don't think your security detail would have appreciated us using the front door."

"No they wouldn't have."

After answering she half closed the door and laid down again. She knew better than to ignore guests but for some reason her feeling, the same of before, got the best of her again, making her want to do nothing but lie down again.

Shadow sat on her bed and a few seconds passed, "Rei I… I need you to listen to me okay?"

"…"

"I don't know what the Angel showed you to leave you like this but… you need to snap out of it."

Rei still didn't move, "Is that what this is? I feel like doing nothing but lying down because of what the Angel made me see?"

Silver blinked at her and sat on the bed too, on the opposite side of Shadow, "Um, yes Rei. I think what you're feeling now is called… depression. And it's bad."

"…"

Shadow scratched his cheek, "Yes, bad, very bad…"

"…"

"So you need to…" started Shadow.

"Snap out of it." Finished Silver.

"Um, yes." Nodded Shadow.

"…"

Silver whispered to Shadow, "We suck at this…"

Shadow face palmed, "Tell me about it." He looked Rei right in the eye, "Rei look, all that thing from two days ago did was show you your worst fears. Whether or not you realized them, they were always inside you." Rei could have sworn the hard black face with red eyes softened a bit, "So all you have to do is deal with them, just as they were dealt with before."

For some reason Rei thought about the times she was with Shinji. She even thought of some times when she and Asuka talked about free will, the one time Asuka even slapped her for saying she would die if ordered. She noticed a pattern on these thoughts: All of them pointed to the fact she was unique, just as Shinji had told her she was a long time ago.

 _But if I am Unique, if I can't be replaced, why would these memories…_

"Anything you want to say to us, Rei?"

The question almost surprised Rei, since she was so deep in thought. "Why do these memories bother me so much?"

Shadow blinked, "Huh?"

"The way I dealt with these memories was through interactions with others. Interactions that convinced me I was… Unique. Why do these memories still bother me? Why does it still, as you said, depress me?"

Shadow struggled again, not with what words to use this time, but with some memories of his own it seemed, "The bad stuff you carry… you're gonna carry it for the rest of your life. But you can't carry it as a giant payload. Carry it in…"

Rei tilted her head, "In a small bag?"

Shadow nodded, "Yes, exactly."

Rei looked to the side, "I think I understand the metaphor."

"Good. Listen, it's okay to just stay lying down for a while but… could you, maybe, promise me you'll snap out of this?"

Rei looked at the Hedgehogs again. Their faces were almost equal masks of concern. Rei suspected this was just because of her duties as a pilot but it still felt good to have someone other than the Commander care for her. Especially since the Commander became so distant after attaining Adam and finding out the Dummy plug was gone and, most recently, seeing her original body, Lilith, was gone.

So she nodded at the hedgehogs, "Okay."

The smile both of them showed her in return, especially Shadow's, was dazzling, even if it was a little forced. She could tell these two hedgehogs didn't smile much.

 _Kind of like me… I don't think I can… not be depressed just because I was told to, but I'll try._

"Well, okay then. Good." Shadow stood up, followed by Silver, "I have to go to the UN embassy."

"And I have to meet up with Sonic, he's going to Asuka and Shinji." Silver looked her in the eye again, "Don't ever let anything tell you things like you don't matter and you can be replaced, Rei."

Rei nodded again and the Hedgehogs slowly left, again through her porch.

(SGE)

Shinji hadn't felt like this ever since his second sortie against an Angel, so of course he ran away again.

 _She… she didn't reject me but she… she told me to leave. She said she wanted to be alone… needed to be alone… after…_

The memory of Asuka screaming in pain came to mind, right afterward he remembered Asuka sitting there, beyond the isolation tapes he was told not to cross, away from him and brooding, embracing her knees like a child. The memory still haunted him, still weighted heavily on his chest. He was in the recently destroyed part of the city as he brooded. Seeing nothing but his girlfriend, the reason he fought, the reason he was still here, just broken and miserable while he was unable to help her.

Suddenly it finally hit Shinji why he came here, to this worn out part of town. There was a broken down arcade center right in front of him and the ruins of a square he recognized.

 _This area was probably destroyed in the fight against the 'skull face' Angel. And it's… where Asuka and I had our first date._

He smiled at the memory. At the time they were just strangers. At the time Asuka just used him to get over Kaji. It was still one of the best days of his life. Walking around, he came across a piece of stone that used to be a side walk, probably part of the same sidewalk he was walking on shortly before seeing Asuka for the first time. Standing on that stone like some sort of vindicator for his old memories, Shinji sighed once again.

 _Remembering the good times me and Asuka had is not really helping. I think only talking to her again, only being okay with her again will help me…_

"Hey stranger on the street…"

Shinji stiffened and widened his eyes before turning slowly to the source of the voice he knew so well. Sure enough, Asuka was there.

He approached her silently, not knowing what to say, so he was thankful she spoke again, "I thought you'd come here… even though this part of town was destroyed."

Shinji merely gulped, thankful he wouldn't have to tell her it was just a coincidence and he just happened to come this way.

"Thank you for giving me space. I… needed this time. This one day was… I needed to think of what to do. What to tell you."

He looked at her concerned. "Asuka I-"

"Don't;" she put a finger on his lips. "Don't talk; let me do the talking now okay?"

He swallowed as she breathed and got ready to speak.

"The Angel showed me… basically what I feared most. Do you remember how I told you I promised myself I'd never cry again?"

"And I told you that you shouldn't have to not cry? Right after I fought Iblis and you fought the invisible Angel?"

Asuka nodded. "The reason for that was that I saw my mother after she… hung herself."

Shinji's eyes widened and he blinked. He heard her when she said her mother took her own life but to hear it like this was just disturbing. "A-Asuka…"

She shook her head, "I want to tell you this Shinji."

"But, why? You don't have to."

"I… I don't do _fear._ " She looked him in the eye again, "I want to get over this and I want you to know everything about me. Even the dirty parts."

"You're not dirty."

She looked to the side.

He approached her, touching her face softly, as a lover would, "You're not dirty Asuka. You're not bad, you just had bad things happen to you."

She grabbed his hand pressing it more to her cheek and closed her eyes.

"Asuka?"

"On the chance of losing you, I'm enjoying this touch as much as I can."

His voice gained an edge, "You could never lose me Asuka."

"Mama didn't know me after the Contact Experiment with Unit 02 went wrong."

Shinji braced himself for whatever else she'd tell him, keeping focused on her.

"She kept asking the doctors to 'take that girl away' and 'leave her with her daughter'. She kept cradling this… doll she had as if it were me. She even wrote Asuka in the doll."

Asuka wiped something from her face. Shinji didn't say anything but knew she was crying.

"One day… a day that was supposed to be the best day of my life I… it was the day I found out I would be the Second Child. I was so happy I ran to tell her. I was sure that would have made mama look at me again and not the stupid doll so I ran to tell her."

Shinji felt his chest constrict and his face grimacing. He somehow knew what she was about to say.

"And when I arrived at her room I saw her… hanging from the ceiling." Asuka's tears were coming in earnest now. "She hung the doll too. She wanted me to die with her."

Shinji's hands moved on autopilot as he embraced Asuka. For a while, Shinji wasn't sure how long, they just stood there, Shinji was holding her and Asuka was clinging to him as if he was a life line in the ocean.

"Aren't you… going to say anything?"

"This changes nothing Asuka.

Without letting go or removing her face from his chest, she sobbed, "R-really?"

"Really. I still love you."

And now she sobbed harder, almost wailing into his chest and holding onto him harder. After a while, Shinji heard her chuckle, laugh into his chest, Shinji identified happiness amid the sobs.

"A… Asuka?"

"I can hardly believe it. You're still holding me. You're still here."

Shinji felt his brown crease in confusion and held her tighter, "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I… I'm… I'm _broken_ , Third Child…"

"No you're not. I told you Asuka: You're not bad, you just had bad things happen to you."

She laughed slightly again and also tightened her own grip. "Thank you."

Shinji couldn't bring himself to smile or at least be at ease that she at least _seemed_ better. Still he couldn't think of anything else to say.

So Asuka spoke again, "No one has seen me cry in nine years stupid Shinji. Be honored."

They finally looked at each other again. Her red cheeks and tear soaked eyes with a faint scared smile fin ally brought a smile to Shinji's face. It must have been dazzling because she blushed and then kissed him.

It wasn't a small peck on the lips either. After the horror they faced yesterday, Asuka and Rei mostly, it was something they sorely needed. Asuka mostly. So of course she was eagerly clinging to him. Even the fact Rei also probably needed someone to talk to as well escaped his mind completely but he remembered her screams of pain as well.

And he would have said something to Asuka if they hadn't been interrupted, "Oh! Wow…!"

(SGE)

Sonic instantly felt his cheeks flushing crimson and looked away from the scene, "Gee. I heard rumors about you two shortly before I left NERV but…" the two pilots separated their faces to look at him and blush even more, looking embarrassed, "But seeing it with my own eyes, now that's entirely different."

"Sonic," said Shinji. Asuka still seemed embarrassed by what they were just doing and surprised in seeing him to say anything.

The blue hedgehog gave them a soft smile.

"Sonic… um, are you sure you should be-"

"See Shinji, that's what I'm talking about," Sonic cut him off in the usual gesture filled manner "You and your girlfriend just went through a very heavy game and you're worried about me. You're worried that NERV banished me from being around anyone of them, including you. You're awesome."

Shinji smiled slightly as if he couldn't help it. Asuka grimaced a little and squeezed Shinji's hand.

Sonic smiled at her this time, "You're pretty awesome too Asuka." I totally thought I'd need to talk to you about… what you saw in the fight against the Angel. Heck, I sent Silver and Shadow to Rei, to talk to her."

The young couple now stared at him with a neutral expression. Sonic was never so happy about the fact someone in this universe looked at him without making him self-conscious he was a hedgehog.

"That's because I know what you saw couldn't have been easy. Because… well see that Angel it… it showed you your worst fear." So uncool that he was speaking like this, all hesitant and troubled, "I saw my worst fear… I felt fear for the first time."

The teens were still just standing there, watching and listening to him in silence.

Sonic chuckled, "I guess it's a good thing though. Can you imagine what it would be like if I felt fear for the first time because I fell in love or something? I mean suppose I finally go for Amy for some reason…"

Now Asuka and Shinji blinked, watching him as if confused by the lighter tone.

Sonic continued with mock seriousness, "…and then I become terrified because I don't want to leave her. And for the first time in my life the idea of dying terrifies me."

Asuka and Shinji smiled openly now, almost laughed.

"And then that whole ordeal generates a strong but convoluted series that takes yours truly way too serious. And then goes into a 'world threatening' direction." Sonic concluded with a smile. A smile that escalated into uproarious laughter.

Shinji and Asuka started laughing too and soon they were all laughing together. The heavy atmosphere caused by the fear they all experienced was all but forgotten.

Which was actually complimented when Sonic heard a tune, a soft tune in the distance. "Do you guys hear that?"

Shinji and Asuka blinked while still laughing, "Hear what?" Asked Asuka.

"Wait I… I think I hear it too," said Shinji as he looked in another direction.

Sonic identified that direction as where the sound was coming from.

(SGE)

Shinji wondered if he and Sonic were hearing things. After all who would be playing a piano all the way out here, in a ruined part of the city? Plus he was still enjoying the high and relief that came from laughter, after he finally got his girlfriend to laugh with him again. He would have to remember to thank Sonic later.

However, all of that was forgotten when Shinji heard the sweetest melody he had ever heard, confirming he and Sonic were not just hearing things. This wasn't just classical music being played, it was like a perfect recreation of Johan Sebastian Bach, as if Bach himself was playing just inside his earshot. It was just as beautiful as the original, even though Shinji couldn't quite put his finger on the name of the song. He kept walking towards the song as if he was a recently deceased person being drawn by an Angel to the gates of heaven.

He saw it all then: the instrument and a boy who couldn't have been much older than him playing it.

The Grand Piano was white. White and cleaned, even if a little banged up. The majesty of the big instrument was not diminished at all by the area around it, which was banged up and destroyed. And the sound, well, Shinji couldn't help but once again be bewitched by it, to the point it made him kind of disappointed he couldn't quite place the Music. He knew it was Bach but still couldn't remember the name. And then there was the kid playing.

His eyes were closed; he seemed to be enjoying the song he was playing as much as Shinji was enjoying listening. There was something strangely alluring in his gentle face, the softly closed eyes and the tender barely noticeable smile. It was a beautiful smile. The hair gently sprayed about in silver and white strings. The song reached its climax at the same time Shinji was done watching the boy. The end of the song was like a signal for the boy to slowly open his eyes, red like Rei's, to look at Shinji.

(SGE)

"Music can be so soothing, don't you think?"

Asuka was as dumb founded as her boyfriend was. This was just too surreal. This strange kid in a ruined church playing a Grand Piano was so out of this world she was just standing there glaring. And she was an Evangelion Pilot and they were standing there with an anthropomorphic hedgehog from another universe as the kid stopped playing and turned to Shinji. There had to be a very surreal situation for them to feel weirded out. For some reason this was it, being in the presence of this kid for the first time somehow did it.

 _Wait, for the first time? No, it's not the first time…_

Shinji blinked, "Um…" It apparently hit him at the same time it hit Asuka, "Wait, you're that new kid from school aren't you?"

The new kid, Asuka couldn't remember his name, smiled wider and nodded, "Alas, I arrived at the day of a fierce battle, so we couldn't really talk could we?"

Asuka narrowed her eyes, "I was trashed because of personal stuff, and stupid Shinji had to be absorbed by his Eva after he beat that Angel, which led me to spend a few days in friend's house and not even go to school. We couldn't have known about you, new kid."

Asuka was glad Shinji squeezed her hand as if to say 'sorry about that' again.

The new kid directed his smile at her, "Don't be alarmed Soryu-san. I didn't mean to imply you were being rude for not knowing me."

Sonic stepped up, getting strangely protective of the two teens for some reason and looking up the red eyed teenager square in the face. His eyes were narrow and he looked suspicious for some reason, "Who are you?"

The new kid, Asuka was just failing to remember his name for some reason, grinned at the hedgehog, showing them his perfect teeth and not even a little bit freaked out by the fact an anthropomorphic hedgehog just spoke to him. It suddenly hit Asuka what was surreal about all of this was the new kid's acceptance of everything going on. As if he was enjoying it all to the fullest, not wasting any time with any negative emotions. Including being freaked out.

He nodded at Sonic, "Ah, and the marvel of the outsiders…" He then smiled at Shinji, "I'm Kaworu Nagisa. The Fifth Child. It is a privilege to finally officially meet you, Ikari Shinji-kun."

 **Author's note: Evangelion belongs to Gainax, Sonic belongs to Sega. Many thanks go to GamerJay for beta reading. Soooo… did anyone noticed the jab I took at my web comic 'Sonic Farsight'?**

 **On a more solemn note; my grandmother died this week. I suppose we should all be as lucky as she was: full life with grandchildren and great grandchildren at 89 years old and had a stroke in her sleep. Spent only one day in the hospital ICU. I love you grandma. Goodbye.**

 **As for you guys reading this, this is not goodbye; I'll see you next time.**


	19. Countdown

Disclaimer: Evangelion belongs to Gainax, Sonic belongs to Sega.

Thoughts of gratitude: Big thank you goes to GamerJay for beta reading.

 **Chapter 19:** _ **Countdown**_

Once again inside a glass tube, Rei felt like the world around her was stale and sterile. She didn't know why but this time she felt a lot worse than she did a few weeks ago, last time she this happened to her. Also strange was the fact the Commander told her the Dummy System had been destroyed, probably by Robotnik and the other mobians, so technically she was no longer required to do this.

And yet here she was, floating in an unpleasant liquid with an unpleasant feel and unpleasant taste.

"How much longer, Doctor Akagi?" The commander's voice almost broke her focus.

"We've never done something like this before, sir." Now Rei's focus was perturbed at how stale Doctor Akagi's answer was. "We have lost the main point of data, both for biological and for detection purposes not only for Rei but for the Dummy Plug. I'm taking a shot in the dark here."

"The connection between Rei and our main asset is still present. If we use the same relocation device and method used to extract matter and study Lilith-"

"I am well aware of the possibilities that entity presents sir." Now Rei was surprised to see Akagi actually cutting the Commander off. She guessed the doctor didn't like being told about her own job. She guessed the Commander was surprised too, since he flinched away from the woman. Maya hid the smile she was giving Ritsuko for some reason.

"Then you know this might work," Commander Ikari straightened his glasses.

Doctor Akagi shrugged, "I suppose we've worked with worse possibilities before. There, done," she pointed at the screen before typing more commands and turning a few other nodes in front of the glass tube Rei was immersed in LCL in. "I have to say, the sense of timing for this could have been a lot better."

The commander turned to her, "You were never one to complain of over work. Is this about what Rei and I walked in on, Doctor Akagi?"

Both women blushed, lieutenant Ibuki seemed on the verge of tears. "Erm, no." Ritsuko straightened herself, "It's just that this is one of the worst times to have the Dummy system destroyed. Sounded like something… someone might do to you because they felt betrayed, don't you think commander?"

"Spare me your personal anecdotes, doctor. They are irrelevant."

"Apologies, sir." Ritsuko muttered, "It's not like you had any expectations of me to begin with."

Rei observed the silence that followed and remembered lieutenant Ibuki and Doctor Akagi looked very embarrassed and shied away from each other shortly before they got inside Akagi's office with the proposal for the current endeavor. She also saw doctor Akagi and lieutenant Ibuki blushing now for some reason. Without anything else of note, they got to the Dummy chambers connected to Terminal Dogma, where she initially did all her testing and scanning for the Dummy system, and here they were now.

"Almost done," Ritsuko drew attention suddenly, "This scanning should give us some idea of where Lilith is if she is within the small range her connection with Rei should provide." She typed some more commands and viewed the screen. "Hm. Unless our main asset is still within the base, I don't think this will work…"

"Just do, it doctor."

"Yes sir," And with that doctor Akagi pressed 'enter'.

Rei felt a slight pressure in her head, primarily in the sides of her brain. It wasn't painful but it was unpleasant. Deep within a connection she couldn't even phantom, think about or realize existed, she saw it then: Though she still didn't feel any pain, she perceived her own body as surrounded by metal plates of an empty husk that was maybe assimilated by her. It was like she was wearing a very heavy and cumbersome suit of armor that was embedded in her flesh. She immediately realized it wasn't hurting because, even though she was practically vivisected, a suit of armor crafted into her, it wasn't really her. It felt like her but it wasn't her. It _was_ her, but it wasn't.

She thought she heard someone, probably Dr. Akagi, saying something like, 'it's too much for her' and someone saying something in response before passing out.

The lost consciousness edged back to her slowly, she was being slightly shaken by lieutenant Ibuki.

"Rei! Rei!" Her voice was distant, but worried. Rei was surprised lieutenant Ibuki cared like this.

 _Humans…_

She opened her eyes and her vision cleared enough to see Maya's face, she really was worried. Doctor Akagi was right behind her, holding her shoulder. Worried about her too? No. Worried about lieutenant Ibuki. It then hit Rei: Maya and Ritsuku were like Asuka and Shinji.

 _Humans are all bumping into each other, bouncing off of each other. Connected._

"L-lieutenant Ibuki," her voice was husky, as if she just woke up.

Maya smiled, "Ah thank god!"

"Are you alright, Rei?" Ritsuko asked, less worried than Maya.

She would have nodded if she wasn't lying down, the LCL that surrounded her spread all over, "Wha… what happened?"

Ritsuko scratched her spiky hair and straightened her glasses. Another thought crossed Rei's mind: Doctor Akagi's change in appearance so long ago must have collided with her getting together with Maya, "It worked. Lilith was still on base. Still in Terminal Dogma."

Rei hesitated, "The commander, he…"

Ritsuko shook her head, "He went to check on it I'm sure." She sighed, "I'm surprised not more people, not everyone in the base in fact, is not involved in this. I guess that's the bad side of having your most important asset hidden from everyone and everything."

Maya looked at Ritsuko worriedly, "What happens now, sen- Ritsuko?"

"I wish I knew, Maya. Like I said, it's not like he can mobilize his base to do something about this. But if Lilith never left Terminal Dogma, she was just moved and also maybe… altered. Though that was technically impossible."

"Impossible?"

"Lilith absorbs everything it touches. That's why testing and scanning with her was made only through equipment at a distance." She looked at Rei again "This is how she was… born, Maya."

Maya looked at Rei with slightly widened eyes. Rei had sat up and began drying herself with the towel someone, probably Maya, put on top of her, "It's okay, lieutenant Ibuki."

"No it is not, Rei…" Ritsuko seemed sad. She addressed Maya again, "Now you see what I meant with 'dirty'."

"Ritsuko…" Maya rose from Rei's side to look doctor Akagi in the eye, "This changes nothing. I always knew Rei was different-" her shoulders twitched and she looked back down at Rei, "Ah, no offense Rei-chan!"

Rei almost finished drying herself, "None taken."

Addressing Ritsuko again, she blushed, "But, really Ritsuko, this doesn't change how I feel about you. We all here at NERV had to do what we had to do. It was for humanity's survival."

With that the two women shared a long moment, just looking into each other's eyes, which made something click in Rei. She wasn't sure how long it was before she spoke, "Humans… can connect."

Maya and Ritsuko looked at her again and Maya asked, "What?"

"Humans… people can connect. I didn't think they could. I thought what the commander has in mind was the only thing that could truly unite this species, but…"

And then Rei once again felt the warmth she thought she had lost forever when the Angel showed her all those nightmarish things. The same warmth she got when she was in some incidents involving Shinji, especially when Shinji gave her permission to call him by his first name, when they touched hands, along with some other rare occasions. So she responded the way Shinji had taught her it was appropriate to respond.

And that apparently surprised both of the women in her presence, "Um, Rei, are you…?" Doctor Akagi began.

"Gosh Rei, are you _smiling_?" Maya finished.

"I am, lieutenant Ibuki. It's what you do when you're happy, correct?"

Maya blinked, "Why are you happy? Of all the times…" she trailed off.

"Because I was wrong, people _can_ have moments of understanding. Even if it may seem impossible to understand one another, there are moments when people can." She rose, wrapping herself in the towel, "I am happy for the moments people can reach out to one another. I am also happy for the two of you."

Both adult women blushed as the teen gathered her clothes.

(SGE)

Fuyutsuki was worried like never before after this past meeting with the committee. It was the first time he saw Ikari outright _lie_ to the faces of the old men. Simply tell them everything was still fine even though Lilith was missing. So he just started talking to him as they usually did, after such meetings, just standing behind him as he sat in his desk of his huge office.

"Are you sure this is wise, Ikari?"

"The old men can't tell if we still have Lilith or not. The tests Akagi ran show that it is still on Terminal Dogma. The fact LCL is still being produced corroborates that. Lilith is not on the cross or has the lance restraining her but she is still down there. So the last two Angels will still come here. Telling them Lilith has been somehow moved would do nothing but incur their wrath."

"But when the repercussions of this hits, won't it be… worse? This will have severe repercussions and therefore the old men's response will be worse."

"They will attack our base to reclaim Lilith and Unit 01 regardless. Lilith is not gone, she was just moved. We still have what we need to start instrumentality ourselves."

"What about the moving of Lilith?"

"Lilith is still Terminal Dogma so there is only one man who could have altered the board like this and only one way to go about this."

Fuyutsuki narrowed his eyes, "Hmm. _Him._ So you will confront him directly? Will that be alright?"

"I have Adam. He can't kill me," he said before rising from his chair and squaring himself up in a subtle manner only Fuyutsuki could see.

"And you have known where he is all along?"

"Leaving absolutely no trace of his presence narrows his hiding place locations to where our surveillance is minimal."

"So he has been in Terminal Dogma this whole time," Fuyutsuki mused. "You're going to him now?"

He was already walking away, "No way to move but forward."

.

(SGE)

"I've done it! I have actually _done it_ once again! Not that it's at all surprising. Of course my superior intellect and my abilities to pull resources practically out of nothing would get me through this. OHOHOHOHOHO!"

The vastness of Terminal Dogma, even from inside the chamber he built below the LCL production plant, did nothing in response to him but echo the maniacal laughter

"Finally. The Egg-Jet-Alone has been successfully crafted into Lilith… or perhaps the right way to say it is Lilith has successfully bonded with the modified version of Jet-Alone that I build. Now the mindless entity… or perhaps the right way to say it is 'dormant' entity that is waiting for 'Adam' to awaken, belongs to whoever can control the Egg-Jet-Alone."

He grinned maniacally once again, twirling his huge mustache.

"And that would be me! I alone control the Egg-Jet-Alone! OHOHOHOHO!"

Ivo Robotnik gazed the monstrosity he had crafted from the fruit of Wisdom, the first Angel Lilith, and the giant mecha he had claimed and customized so long ago, the nuclear robot Jet Alone. It seemed to tower above everything else even though it was immersed in LCL. The white flesh that was Lilith's was covered by the armor like substance that Jet-Alone had become after going the separation procedure he came up with so Lilith wouldn't absorb it; the 'non-absorption' procedure. The metal seemed to glisten around the edges so it wasn't completely claimed by the white dormant Angel. The same procedure he managed to think off because he, being a mobian, wasn't claimed by Lilith. He could touch the monster.

Standing 50 meters taller than an Evangelion, it also hadn't surprised Robotnik when he removed the Lance of Longinus and that made Lilith's legs grow, no longer restrained by the godly artifact. Once he completed the 'non-absorption' on his Egg-Jet-Alone, the unrestraint creature and the mecha were ready to be merged. And now that they were the purple seven eyed mask behind the round glassed gaze and giant metal mustache was even more menacing and eerie than it had been in the original Lilith. Couple that with the metal in stripes and fat like appearance of the giant organic slash metallic robot, this was truly a monument to evil.

"Truly, this is my greatest work. I, doctor Ivo Robotnik have done it again! OHOHOHOHO! All the work I had in salvaging resources no longer in use, salvaging what I lost, and working only with the Egg-Jet-Alone was completely and utterly worth it. I have successfully roboticized an Angel!"

He opened his arms as if to embrace the white metal giant and the closed his hands into fists of triumph.

"You are MINE, my Hyper-Metal-Lilith! OHOHOHOHOHO-!"

KA CLICK!

His laughter being cut short by the sound of a gun clicking on the back of his head and how surprised he was in how easily his sanctuary under the ocean of LCL was found and breached actually made him sweat cold.

 _Well it's not like I had even more resources to make badnicks to defend this place. I had to bet everything in claiming Lilith for myself…_

He thought all that as he slowly turned, keeping his hands in the air as a fake surrender gesture. Robotnik was genuinely afraid of who appeared behind him and was now pointing a gun to his face, but managed to smile evilly at him none the less, "How did you find me?"

"It's not easy to hide something that big, that flares up a signal meant for Angels…" Gerndo Ikari straightened his dark glasses, keeping his gun trailed on Robotnik's face. "So this is everything you did while you were isolated down here since the thirteenth Angel. I must say I am surprised. How did you get everything you needed down here?"

Robotnik grinned and straightened his glasses, "Blame the secrecy of your own base on that one. And it's not like a being as wondrous as Lilith couldn't provide me sustenance. Plus pulling resources out of nothing is my specialty. I managed to build a giant fortress in the span of a month several times to fight the pesky hedgehog and his friends. How easy would it be to build something to make this wondrous being _mine_?"

Gendo sneered, "'Hyper-Metal-Lilith'? Really?"

Robotnik would have gulped out of fear of the gun in his face of the man that wanted him dead, but knew he still had something on Ikari, even if it was just information, "You are a simple man, Ikari."

"Am I now?"

Robotnik briefly flashed his teeth in a small evil grin before continuing, "Don't get me wrong, you weren't at first. It takes a lot more than a simpleton to kill three billion people."

Gendo straightened his glasses and Robotnik felt the pressing of the gun lessen, "Really now?"

"But after your wife gave her life for the memory of humanity and for her child, after she chose her child and her species over you," Robotnik looked him right in the eye, past the body of his gun, and smiled wider. "You became a simpleton." His wide smile became an evil grin, flashing his teeth again, "And Ikari, nothing is more predictable than a simpleton."

Robotnik could see his eyes narrow behind his dark glasses and heard his voice lower dangerously, "You know nothing about me."

Robotnik kept his smile, "I know you're jealous of your son for hogging all of your wife's love. I know you hate your species because it was chosen by your wife over you. So of course you don't care Third Impact will turn all of the humans here into puddles of LCL-" Robotnik looked up briefly before continuing. "Well except for me and the hedgehogs of course, because we're sliders. So," Robotnik stopped himself again just to shrug. "Of course I knew you would lash out at anything that threatened or even resembled a threat to the hope of being with your wife again. You are THAT simple."

"Interesting. So," Gendo once again pressed his gun against Robotnik's forehead, "What happens to your scenario if I kill you right now?"

Robotnik laughed, "You may shoot me, but you still don't have Lilith. Not anymore. And even with Adam crafted onto you, you cannot activate it without Rei. And without being present with it. And the only way you can be present with it now…"

"…is to cooperate with you because you actually made Lilith into a pilotable giant cyborg like the Evas."

Robotnik nodded, "You are smart," He grinned at the dark glasses again, "What are you going to do? Tell the _authorities_ your world ending entity has been stolen, hence foiling your world ending plan to see your wife again? I mean, I'd say that, thanks to the hedgehogs approaching the UN, you are already walking on eggshells with the authorities…"

Gendo was still pointing his gun him. Some of Robotnik's nervousness and fear returned thanks to the edginess that held itself in the situation.

(SGE)

Asuka knew Shinji was straight, but for some reason all the attention this white haired weirdo was giving him was starting to get her really peeved.

 _Crap, how come I never even thought of asking some of these things to my stupid idiot? He has accepted me even after everything I told him today and yet I couldn't give him half the attention this weirdo is giving him…_

What made her even more pissed was the fact that Shinji seemed to be enjoying talking to this Kaworu as much as he was enjoying listening. The weirdo seemed focused on Shinji. In a way that seemed even more than she would focus on him.

 _Why is this bothering me so much? I know Shinji isn't gay. And it's totally okay if Kaworu is…_

Asuka couldn't judge the mobians pretty well; in fact, Sonic standing there with them, also paying attention to how Shinji and Kaworu were enjoying talking to each other, was freaking her out. But if Asuka was any type of character judge, she'd swear the blue hedgehog was at least a little bit suspicious of the white haired teen as well.

"So then she just assumed you'd clean everything?"

Shinji nodded, "Yeah she's a total slob. It's okay though."

"You don't mind the over work at the house?"

Shinji actually chuckled at Kaworu, which made Asuka's 'he's an excellent butler' retort die in her mouth, "It's not that, Kaworu-san. She lets me and Asuka see that side of her because she considers us family."

And that was another thing bugging Asuka; They've know each other for about an hour and not only were they talking like long time no see friends but also were on first name basis.

"That doesn't mean you can't get mad at her does it?"

Shinji downcast his eyes slightly embarrassed, "Yeah I… I even thought I hated her, not too long ago."

Kaworu seemed even more amused at this response, "And then you just forgave her?"

Shinji shrugged and nodded.

"Your guardiam seems like a remarkable woman, Shinji-kun."

Shinji smiled again but didn't say anything.

Asuka thought it was a good time to butt in, "You know, it's nice that you two really hit it off but I came all the way here with Shinji for, ahem, some private time. How about we see you again back at school or on base, Kaworu- _kun_." She couldn't think of a nickname as she usually did but she at least managed to be very poisonous at tagging the 'kun' to his first name.

Shinji apparently picked up on that, blinking confused at her, "Asuka?"

She reached for his hand and nabbed him away by his hand but Kaworu stopped her, "I assure you that you have nothing to fear Soryu-san."

Asuka snorted, still holding Shinji's hand, "Fear you? I don't _do_ fear."

Kaworu's smile became mysterious, "Your confessions to your boyfriend a few moments ago argue the contrary."

Asuka and Shinji gasped in surprise. If Kaworu was playing the piano away from them, how did he know about that?

But Sonic snapped at Kaworu before she could. "Okay, seriously: Who are you?"

Kaworu still appeared to be addressing Shinji, "Our time is limited. Especially for us, who face danger on a regular basis. Is it not better to enjoy what little time we have together?"

Asuka felt the grasp of her boyfriend's hand soften. _Great, he's going to want to hang out with him still? I better use my charms to-_

"You didn't really answer my question, dude. Who are you?" Sonic stopped her train of thought, now almost bristling at the weirdo.

 _Weirdo yes. That's my nickname for him._

"I am…" he stopped talking, looked troubled for a second and looked in a direction totally strange to anything, totally away from what was happening, he was looking someplace else as if he was looking at a different time period.

"Um, Kaworu?" It annoyed Asuka that Shinji actually sounded worried.

The weirdo smiled softly at him again, "I am sorry, Shinji. It seems our interactions as friends, pleasant and brief as they have been, have to end soon."

(SGE)

Shadow could see past the poor woman's façade of calm and collected. She was terrified and outraged. Fear and rage boiled behind that calm and collected face as she studied the documents and files in the microchip they just cracked.

"So, inspector Ryoji came across all of this and in trying to give it to you, he was killed."

Shadow nodded, "That is correct, Tomoe."

The old woman shook her head sadly, "He should have come to us…"

Shadow crossed his arms, snorting, "With all due respect, Madam Secretary, he chose a more powerful ally."

The UN secretary stared at the hedgehog warily for a brief moment before returning her attention back to the screen, "We need to bring every single name here… no, not just the ones mentioned here, the entire instrumentality committee needs to answer questions about this."

"I-" Shadow cut himself off and narrowed his eyes to the side, clearly feeling and predicting what was about to happen.

The burly black suit and tie with dark glasses Shadow remembered seeing tailing him and Tomoe got inside. Shadow knew he worked here in the UN assembly, close to Tomoe and other important UN people. Something was different about him now; he was showing aggression in his posture and behavior.

"It's in the pain of Death that lies the glory of Rebirth!"

That was all that the clearly brainwashed thug said before drawing his gun.

 _He had instructions to go against whoever found out about his master Keel._

By the time Shadow thought that the thug had the gun tailed on Tomoe's wide eyed shocked face and…

CRACK!

…Shadow was already by his side, holding his wrist and breaking his hand. The man screamed and fell to the ground. More of the thugs were approaching and Shadow already had a trail on all seven of them, approaching the room fast.

Shadow glared at nothing in particular. _Eight thugs hidden inside the UN assembly building ready to murder anyone who find out the truth about you, Keel? I expected more…_

The remaining seven loyalists to SEELE approached as Shadow dropped his knee to the face on the one with the broken wrist, rendering him unconscious. The other seven approached, blatantly in view of Shadow's deadly tracing. He could hear the steps and the aggression in them.

Shadow snorted, "Yes, because trying to kill the freaking _secretary of the United Nations_ with _me_ around making it clear _who and what_ your boss is, now _that_ is the smartest thing to do…"

Shadow jumped and homing attacked the first thug that came into view, he bounced in his spin form right off his skull and went to the next thug in the vicinity. In a fluid motion the black blurry ball moved from thug to thug, knocking out the first four that attacked the Secretary of the United Nations. The black ball with a red detail stopped right by the entrance of the office, just a couple of feet away from the first four he homing attacked and the thug with the broken arm. Standing menacingly in front of the three SEELE loyalists that were still there, ready to kill Tomoe, he applied his quick punches and kicks in a motion that reduced him to a really fast black and red blur. Sounds of snapping bones echoed the office and the round chamber of the UN assembly building and now the Ultimate life form was the last thing standing. A frightened Tomoe cowered a short distance away from him

Shadow he gazed upon the destruction and unconscious bodies he had wrought, "Villains are so stupid…"

(SGE)

"Wh… What? What do you mean Kaworu?"

"It's a shame, but at the same time our interactions have been enhanced by how different things turned out here, they have also, unfortunately, been severely limited by the extra knowledge that has been incurred. So it all has to end here, Shinji-kun…"

Shinji blinked, "Huh? What- I mean, what?"

Kaworu reveled in how cute Shinji was; looking all confused like that and then simply pointed at the figure of a silver hedgehog in the distance, coming towards them. The same figure he felt just a short time ago. Shinji, Asuka and Sonic looked at it.

Sonic marveled, "Hey, it's Silver! I guess he and Shadow were done talking to Rei!" And started going the same direction of Silver.

Kaworu smiled at the scene of the two outsiders about to meet and turned to Shinji once again, "One last thing Shinji-kun."

Shinji looked back at him while Asuka looked annoyed, "What is it Kaworu?"

"I had a very interesting talk with Mephiles."

Shinji gulped. Asuka widened her glaring eyes. Kaworu figured that merely remembering his brief encounter with the outsider's equivalent of Death must have shook Shinji and of course he told Asuka about it. And once again it amused Kaworu how instantly Asuka could change her mood.

"How… Kaworu, how did you-?" Shinji shook his head, "Wait a minute! How did you _talk_ to Mephiles?!"

Kaworu ignored his questions, "Here's something you can use to summon him, call him to help you if you need," Kaworu then materialized the piece of magical artifact he crafted just for this occasion, for the 'goodbye' he knew he'd have to give Shinji. And the same piece of jewelry he would have to give Shinji. He felt it in his hand, after materializing it in his pocket, in one supernatural gesture he was thankful he didn't have to do in front of Shinji yet, he grabbed the jewel and showed it to Shinji. A smooth and shiny piece of a precious jewel.

Shinji widened his eyes and Kaworu knew he recognized it. _Of course he did. At least I didn't have to levitate or show him the barrier of my heart that nobody may violate. At least not yet._

(SGE)

Shinji recognized the surface of what Kaworu pulled out of his pocket immediately, even if it was just a small sliver, "Is this a piece of a Chaos Emerald?"

Kaworu shook his head, "Not of a real one, no. I made that one so I could summon Mephiles if I wanted." Kaworu then dropped the magical jewel sliver in his hand, "Use it wisely."

Shinji blinked, felt the familiar smooth and graphite like surface of the small piece of gem and then felt distraught at the mere possibility of coming face to face with Mephiles again, "I… don't think I'll use it Kaworu-kun, I… I mean Mephiles was-"

"You better hold on to it just in case. My final gift to you."

Shinji blinked again but before he could ask why Kaworu kept saying it was the end of their time together, he was halted by the vision of Silver who had been approaching for a while. He and Sonic were walking together now, since Sonic left a while ago to meet up with Silver and go back to him, Asuka and Kaworu. Sonic seemed to be smiling with satisfaction, commenting something about Rei but it was Silver that caught Shinji's attention: He looked almost horrified. His big yellow eyes were wide and his mouth was hanging open.

Shinji blinked and noticed Silver's wide eyes were fixated on Kaworu and his hanging mouth forced out one stutter.

"Ta… Tabris?!"


	20. The first of the last two messengers

Disclaimer: Evangelion belongs to Gainax, Sonic belongs to Sega.

Thoughts of gratitude: Big thank you goes to GamerJay for beta reading.

 **Chapter 20:** _ **The first of the last two messengers**_

It annoyed Sonic that he couldn't for the life of him figure out what was it about this Kaworu dude that bugged him so much. That smile that was too easy, the familiarity Sonic couldn't quite place and the usual feeling of hostility he got from Eggman and other villains he had fought were the runner uppers but Sonic still couldn't figure it out. Still he couldn't help but watch warily as he and Shinji talked pleasantly. Discussing various subjects, the latest installment being Shinji's guardian Misato and it being done, Sonic was surprised to see Silver approaching in the distance. He gestured at Asuka, indicating he'd be right back. Not that she noticed, also being sort of enthralled in the talk between her boyfriend and the strange white haired teen.

So he ran to Silver, "Hey dude."

"Hey Sonic."

"Tell me you and Shadow managed to put a smile on Rei's face?"

"She… doesn't really smile, Sonic. But I think our talk with her was satisfactory, even if it could have been better."

"Hah, I'll bet! Last thing you and Shads are competent on is providing comfort to a teenage girl."

He left the smile plastered all over his face as he waited for Silver's inevitable and super serious retort. It never came.

Sonic blinked, "Um, Silver? Shouldn't you say something in response to…"

He trailed off upon noticing the look of pure disbelief and shock tainting Silver's face. Upon looking in the same direction Silver was looking, all he saw was Kaworu, with the same innerving and 'all too easy' smile that also bugged him a lot. Kaworu and Silver were staring right at each other and, for some reason, Sonic tensed up and almost went full battle stance.

 _What… what the heck?_

"Ta… Tabris?!"

Kaworu smiled then nodded, "Hello, Silver. It's been a while."

That simple exchange was enough for Sonic to widen his eyes and double take between the white haired teen and the white hedgehog and that moment of wide eyed hesitation was enough for a white light that Sonic recognized from an all too close AT Field manifesting itself engulfed all of them.

Then it all happened at once; Sonic's wide eyes received the brunt of the light even though he still managed to go into his battle stance, instantly aggressive towards Kaworu; Shinji covered his eyes from the blinding light of the AT field and got in front of Asuka protectively; Asuka inched as close to Shinji as possible, burrowing into his protective stance and Sonic couldn't tell what came first: the darkness from closing his eyes or the darkness from losing his consciousness.

(SGE)

It was clear something big, something important was happening. Misato's phone never rang this often and it was never so many calls from so many UN representatives. Answering the phone and doing paper work had never been this exciting before.

 _For once I wish I was at my office! Doing this in the car with my cell phone and my laptop is proving to be a real nightmare._

From everything she could gather, earlier this morning, some attempted to kill Tomoe Yamada, the Secretary of the United Nations. And that was at the same time Shadow the Hedgehog showed her information compromising some very important people. People in the Committee that overlooked NERV. If it weren't for Shadow himself, Tomoe probably _would have_ been killed. That's why, if the information she was getting right now was accurate, some diplomatic immunities were already revoked and prison warrants had been already issued.

Typing more responses to emails, her fingers stopped when her phone rang yet again, this time a number she personally prioritized over others.

 _Angel?_

The question was in her head before she answered NERV HQ direct line.

"Hello?"

"Major Katsuragi! Blue pattern has been detected!"

She got out of the car to stretch, breathe and process this new bit of information. Big VIPs being arrested was one thing, but a giant monster that could wipe out humanity was another. It seems that everything was going to happen all at once today.

"Can you give me more details, Hyuga-kun?"

"We can detect both the wavelength and the mass of it just above the Owaku Valley."

Misato blinked. _Owaku Valley? But that's…_

Her thoughts trailed off as she looked up and around from where she was and then she saw it, narrowing her eyes at it.

"The wavelength detection is oscillating between orange and blue and his AT field is active. The MAGI is having difficulty in identifying it for sure."

"I think I can see why, Hyuga-kun."

"Major?"

"I have visual confirmation…"

Misato was staring at the ring like creature that seemed to slightly glow in a hypnotic like state; as if that was the weirdest thing she had ever seen in her life. For Misato, that was saying a lot, after all she had 'seen' the twelfth, the weird sphere only the mobians could see. And this strange ring floating in the air just took the place of weirdest as of yet, knocking the twelfth out.

"It really _does_ look weird…"

She got back into her car and instantly accelerated to almost top speed towards HQ.

(SGE)

 _Shoot! I failed!_

That was the one thought coursing through Sonic's mind, white hot and angry.

 _I knew he was familiar! I couldn't put my finger on it! He matched the description Silver had given me and Shadow! That's why he was familiar! The stupid Angel had me fooled and knocked us all out before I could even react! Silver called him Tabris before and I STILL didn't react fast enough!_

As he ran towards HQ carrying the unconscious form of Shinji, just as Silver carried an unconscious Asuka, the reenactment of the events in the last few minutes coursed his mind. To be faster than the strange light Tabris engulfed them with proved too much, even for him. When the light faded and he woke up, he saw Silver, Asuka and Shinji unconscious around him, around the same places they were last standing. He was the first one to come around, quickly followed by Silver.

And so he and Silver started running towards one of the NERV trams that would take the kids to the Evangelion cages, where they'd be scrambled to fight. Sonic wasn't sure how the Evas would fight something the size of a person but there was no way he was allowing Shinji near Tabris without an EVA, and not without him around. No matter what those thugs working for NERV were going to say.

 _I know what going back down there means. But I got no choice. Besides, Eggman is probably still plotting something._

"Come ON Silver! Step it up!"

"It's harder to run while carrying someone!"

Sonic grunted, "Tabris could've teleported! He might already be down at the base, close to Lilith!"

"And I am well aware of that Sonic! I'm going as fast as I can!"

Sonic groaned and kept running, keeping the pace with Silver, keeping the other hedgehog just behind him.

 _Of all the times we can't use Chaos Control because we gotta save up the juice for the fight…_

Despite the frustration, eventually they saw the tram station and a waiting NERV officer, ready to take the pilots where they should go to. Of course the suit and tie thug seemed surprised to see the hedgehogs but didn't do anything stupid as Sonic and Silver delivered him the kids.

He did frown at what Sonic said next though, "You need to let both of us down there!"

The burly suit and tie straightened his black glasses, "Why should I-"

"There's an Angel! In the form of a person! In the form of a boy, with red eyes and white hair!"

The guard blinked, "Um, the Angel attacking is outside of the Geofront, above Owaku valley, and it's not in form of a person."

Now it was Sonic that blinked, "Say… say what?" Then he frowned at the guard, "Dude we just saw the Angel, he knocked Asuka and Shinji unconscious and left!"

"Sonic," Silver said softly behind him.

When he turned to Silver he saw the worry in his face had intensified and his yellow eyes looked terrified.

"Maybe… maybe there's two of them?"

Sonic felt his own eyes widen and turned to glare at the guard again, "I don't know what you guys here at NERV detected but what Silver and I saw was definitely an Angel and it looked like a boy and you WILL let us pass!"

The guard still looked uncertain but relented, giving out instructions on where to place the pilots so they could be carried to the Eva cages. Sonic and Silver passed the checkpoint ignoring any kind of permission being given, just passing through the gates as they opened. In the great tunnel that led to HQ. Running past the hundreds of meters the conveyer belts that led cars down to the Geofront, he arrived a spot he cold grind down as he would pipes. Silver was right behind him, since he could now use his telekinetic powers to go fast, sometimes controlling objects around him or grinding on top of something, since he was no longer carrying Asuka.

"What's the plan, Sonic?"

Sonic merely glanced at him before looking ahead again, still grinding down, "What do you think Silver? Find Tabris and stop him."

"While the kids fight the other Angel upstairs in their Evas?"

"Pretty much yeah."

Silver dodged the latest obstacle in the way of his telekinetic path and started applying his power to a different movable piece of the conveyer belt and started floating got on top of it while Sonic jumped and side stepped, both of them keeping their run.

"But… Tabris looks human. In fact he looks like a human the same age as the pilots…"

Sonic hesitated a moment before asking, "What's your point Silver?"

"Are we really going to…?" Silver couldn't bring himself to finish the question. Kaworu did look remarkably human, even on that first instance where they met inside a volcano where time was standing still.

Sonic hesitated again and said, "I don't like it any more than you do. Heck I still remember how sick I felt when I found out the Angels and the Evas bleed like humans. And then there was the whole 'Eggman showed us Lilith and the truth about Rei and all those horrors' thing…" Sonic jumped over another indentation that was in his way and then side jumped to a different pipe line to keep grinding down. "But it's not like we can sit this one out."

Silver narrowed his eyes, "I don't think the Angels want the world to end."

Sonic was still focused on running and grinding down as he looked at Silver, "Say what?"

"When I first met Tabris, inside that volcano and with time standing still so long ago, he said he liked seeing the Universe. And the changes made to it. He also said he and his kin were _meant_ to be defeated. Not once did he seem worried about that, not even when I said to his face I would stop him myself if I had to. He even helped me to some extent; gave me my Chaos Emerald."

"What are you saying dude? You think we should try to reason with him? I suppose we could… _try_ to but…" He looked at Silver again, this time narrowing his emerald green eyes, "You know that Third Impact happens if he touches Lilith."

"I know. I'll stop him. I said I would. But Tabris still seemed like a kid that enjoyed Life. As much as Shinji, Asuka and Rei."

Sonic blinked, his face softening until he finally smiled while looking ahead again, "You're the most hopeful guy EVER Silver."

"Surviving and then stopping the apocalypse will do that to you…"

Sonic grinned, "Dreams of Absolution."

(SGE)

Shinji was pretty sure he was dreaming. He was in some sort of unending void, blackness stretching as far as the eye could 'see', as if he was standing in total darkness but still could see himself.

"I am sorry, Shinji-kun."

He turned to see Kaworu. Standing there the way he always was, although his smile was now a tad sad. Shinji remembered it then. He remembered what happened, what caused him to go to sleep- to lose consciousness. He felt his face contort in confusion as he looked at Kaworu again.

"Kaworu, you… did you knock us out?"

"I did."

Shinji blinked, "How… did you do that? Are you doing this? This is a dream, right?"

"It is. It would be easier to talk to you here. To say goodbye to you here."

Shinji grimaced, "Say goodbye? Why? Are you leaving?"

"I am. I have to. It's what I was meant to do."

"Kaworu, no. Whatever's happening, I can try to help you-"

Kaworu's wonderful smile cut Shinji short for some reason, "Thank you Shinji-kun. But there's no need. It's easier, simpler if I do as I was meant to do."

"You don't have to do things because you are meant to Kaworu."

Kaworu blinked, genuine surprise on his face, "Oh?"

Shinji shrugged, "I was meant to like my father, to want his approval. Look how well that turned out."

Kaworu's smiled again, "That makes so much sense it almost hurts Shinji-kun."

"So will you-"

"I'm still leaving. I'm sorry."

Shinji shook his head, he knew the hurt was clear in his face, "I don't understand, Kaworu."

There was a great deal of emotion going through Kaworu's face right now and Shinji thought it was interesting he never lost his smile. There was pain, sadness, and finally, there was conformity.

"I'm the one that's supposed to die after the one you're about to fight."

Confused, Shinji narrowed his eyes, "What?"

"I'm the last Angel Shinji-kun."

(SGE)

Shinji bolted right up from his half lying position, the usual pose he was when he was inside his entry plug, into fully seated, slightly hunched over himself and panting hard. He was inside his Entry Plug. He heard the mumbling over his coms about signals of consciousness and then the video screen showing Misato popped up.

"Shinji-kun, you're awake. Good."

"M-Misato, what-?"

"We don't have much time. Rei has already been deployed since you and Asuka were not awake. Care to confirm why the two of you weren't awake?"

"Confirm? I-" Shinji widened his eyes, memories he didn't wanna believe were true washing him like acid, "Kaworu! Kaworu is an Angel! Misato, the new kid in my school, Kaworu is an Angel!"

Misato's look on the tiny screen went haunted for a second before she nodded at him, "You just gave me the confirmation I wanted, Shinji-kun." She looked to the side, "Give the hedgehogs full access to our facilities! Help them stop whatever it was that breached the Geofront while the children will deal with the Angel upstairs."

(SGE)

 _Shit, it's bad enough Commander Ikari is nowhere to be found. Now we've got an Angel going down and another at the surface? At least the freezing of Unit 01 was lifted last time._

After her little rant inside her head was done, she looked at the com screen of Unit 01 again. Misato could tell Shinji held his breath the way he did before battle. And on top of that there seemed to be something on the boy's mind, something besides 'I'm about to fight again'.

"It's okay Shinji-kun," Misato put on the best soothing smile she could, "Our security is not going to do anything to Sonic. They will help him and Silver deal with the Angel down here, even."

Standing perfectly still in his plug seat, Shinji answered stoically, "It's not that, Misato-san. It's…" He looked at her, "Kaworu was my friend."

Misato's smile vanished and she blinked.

"I know it's ridiculous, we barely talked. But we were classmates, even though I was barely at school in the time he was, and what little we talked about, we… I don't know I just…"

"You connected with him."

Realization passed Shinji's face and he nodded vigorously at her.

"Shinji-kun, these…" she hesitated for a moment. Talking about Kaworu as an Angel probably wasn't the best route right now, "Kaworu knew our goals. _Your_ goals. He knew what would happen if he… you know."

The pilot nodded but looked away, "Still, I… I don't know, I just feel he should be one to survive…"

"He engaged in something he knew there was no other outcome but defeat. He abandoned life and clang to a false hope. You didn't do anything wrong, Shinji-kun."

A myriad of emotions passed the boy's face. Misato found herself holding her breath. She wasn't sure how she felt about the fact that, in the end, Shinji chuckled, "You're so cold, Misato."

She at least hoped he meant it as jokingly as he sounded. His face on the com screen faded and she ordered, "Evangelions Unit 01 and 02, LAUNCH!"

(SGE)

 _Stupid weirdo was an Angel. I did NOT see that one coming…_

 _Gosh, it's like things I can't stop from hurting my boyfriend keep happening and I can't do anything to… stop him from… getting hurt._

…

 _And now I'm whining about it like he would._

The lightning like sound of the giant bolts launching her Eva snapped Asuka out of her reverie and wiped the small smile off her face. The first image Asuka saw when her ascension stopped and her vision settled ahead horrified her and made her completely ready for battle.

She glowered at the image of Unit 00's torso being literally invaded by some sort of worm like thing that seemed to be made of light, the shots that the blue behemoth was firing at it with its rifle completely ineffectual.

"AYANAMI!" Her boyfriend's voice yelled before Unit 01 dashed out of her side and, after swallowing the pang of jealousy that suddenly hit her by reaffirming he was hers and he would do the same or even better for her, she did the same; dash towards battle.

Or at least she tried to, "What- what the hell?"

Her Eva did not move and then she heard Misato say through her com unit the most fatidic sentence she ever heard in her life, "Asuka, your sync ratio is less than ten percent. What's going on?"

(SGE)

Shinji was horrified at the image of Unit 00 being invaded; it was like nerves and veins spread out all over and came from the point of origin where the Angel and the blue Eva's torso were connected. In a strangely alien visceral image, the deformities that looked like veins and nerves began sprouting small round indentations and that sprang Shinji into action.

Grabbing the worm like angel proved a bad idea, however, because it struggled against Shinji's grasp in a slippery motion that Shinji didn't think possible, not with what was happening to his hand.

"Crap!"

The same nerve and vein like indentations started sprouting in his palm, all across over to part of the top of his hand, in a way that convinced Shinji pretty soon his hand would be covered in the stuff like Unit 00's torso. Trying to let go of the thing seemed to be a futile course of action because the Angel's glowing skin seemed to be attached to his hand already. The time it took him to think of something else to do was enough for the nerve like indentation on his hand to form small balls with smile on them.

 _Wait, small balls with smiles on them?!_

Shinji's horrified hesitation was enough for him to recognize the balls as Rei Ayanami. Dozens of small smiling Reis were permeating his hand and even his own hand, the hand grabbing the entry plug. It all seemed off, not just the fact it were alien protuberating _things_ invading his hands, the smile on Rei's face was not soft like it had been when he saw it, it was all falling apart; the image of Rei was falling apart right in front of him.

So he drew his Progressive Knife.

(SGE)

Now Asuka wasn't only horrified she couldn't currently move her Eva, she was also horrified to see her boyfriend's Evangelion be invaded and then struggle desperately to fight off said invasion. The purple behemoth's body language showed horror in what was happening to the hand holding the Angel and the Angel's actions themselves were not doing a bad job at it either.

To make matters even more horrifying, the Angel ascended and then expended into Rei Ayanami's form. Then she heard Misato's voice saying something reaaling her back in.

"Wait what?"

"She's a sitting duck just standing there, bring her back down!"

She snapped back into reality and with her voice in full throttle when she heard Misato say that through her Com Unit, "No! Wait, don't do this Misato!"

"Asuka, it's dangerous to just stand there with a low Sync! This thing is invading Unit 00 and now Unit 01! Unit 02 will be next if-"

"I can do this Misato! I can move! Shinji has accepted me and I'll be damned if my Eva doesn't! Just give me a second!"

Without waiting for a response, she shut off her com unit, closed her eyes and lowered her head slightly. She never focused this hard on anything else ever.

 _Come on Asuka; you begged! You already lowered yourself to BEGGING Misato not to pull you out! So just do this!_

She saw the usual darkness of over focus but the sensation of synchronization still eluded her.

 _Come on COME ON! If I take any longer here then Shinji will be in big trouble! He might die! Please!_

Now there was something unusual in the darkness she was so used to, but instead of opening her eyes again she focused on it, she kept on searching for the feeling of synchronization, she kept sinking in the darkness.

… _What…?_

She saw it then, even though her eyes were still closed. In the depths of her plug, not a human, not a figure she was used to, she rather simply 'felt' something in there. Something familiar.

 _Mama…?_

(SGE)

Shinji was horrified at the image he caused: it was like he had stabbed Rei, right after Rei tried to hug him and the image gushed a reverse waterfall of blood. The voice of pain that the Angel let out was also eerily similar to Rei's voice. His horror was coupled with a little bit of relief however. After all that all but indicated his attack worked.

"Misato, is it dead?"

His guardian and commanding officer didn't have to answer, however, because he saw that, even though the invasion of his Eva had stopped, the Angel was still attached to Unit 00, and it was still convulsing as if experiencing great pain. In the back of his com Unit he could hear Rei's real voice, her restrained grunts of pain.

He swallowed his fear and his horror, gritted his teeth and prepared to attack again, but then something stopped him dead on his tracks.

(SGE)

Then it all came back to Asuka. Not only the Synchronization with her Eva, but the memories that now felt so old, the memories of when she was absorbed by the Angel designated Leliel and consequently by her Eva as well. Those weren't memories at all. Those really happened, within the confinements of her Evangelion, deep within the core, which was the heart of the cyborg she piloted. She really met her there. She was really there, she was there.

 _You're here! You have always been here! Protecting me! Watching over me! Mama! Mama you're here! Oh gott you're here! I love you!_

She didn't even care to open her eyes again and just enjoyed the sudden rapture that overwhelmed her, she enjoyed every thought that went through her head, every sensation that coursed her Evangelion. And yes; now it was like she _was_ her Eva.

 _I will be with you Mama. We'll do this together!_

She wanted to be with her mother, she wanted to win the day and she didn't even have to open her eyes to do it. She just enjoyed the feeling of oneness with her Eva like never before. Her Evangelion, her mother, could see it all, could do it all. She roared and in that roar she knew this was going to be the easiest battle yet.

(SGE)

"ROOOOOOAAAAAARRRRRRR!"

Shinji looked to the side, to the source of the inhuman roar that stopped his attack dead on its tracks. Evangelion Unit 02 stood an unstoppable red behemoth, hunched over like an animal and snarling like a savage beast, saliva oozing out of its tore open mouth, the same mouth that tore itself from its restraints to roar a shockwave that swept the land. The four eyes in the beast's head glow a reddish green, as if the four eyes were now finally open. Shinji could even see the puffs of smoke that came in and out whenever the beast breathed in and out.

"A…Asuka?" Shinji whimpered.

It was all he had time to do because then Unit 02 _dashed._ It took off like a wild predator going straight to undefended and unsuspecting prey. And it was exactly like that that Unit 02 grabbed and pulled out the Angel; like a predator would an undefended and unsuspecting prey. Unit 00 stopped whimpering and hung its head upwards as if sighing in relief when Unit 02 pulled the Angel out of it. Shinji heard Rei's sigh of relief through his com Unit but was still too distracted by the bestial image of Unit 02 while it made short work of the Angel.

Short work indeed, because as it grabbed the Angel, it somehow manifested it's AT Field and it was too strong to allow the Angel to invade her, as it did Unit 01 and 00. Still with animal like strength, it struggled and fought off the cord like glowing being and it grasped it on both far sides, in a way that the snake like motions of the Angel were very limited and then the powerful AT Field protection Asuka expanded. Shinji didn't quite grasp what Asuka just did (or perhaps the correct thing to say was what Unit 02 just did) but he saw it immediately after Unit 02's AT field expanded.

Right in the center of the snake like Angel, a black sphere shimmered, as if glowing brightly just below a surface of skin.

Without wasting any time, Shinji dashed towards the scene with his progressive knife in hand, fully intended to stab that core and put an end to this. He wasn't fast enough however…

CRUNCH!

…because Unit 02 bit down on the Angel's core before Shinji could stab it. The snake like creature withered, becoming half the thickness it originally was, lost its glow and stopped moving. Unit 02 on the other hand, chewed what was inside its mouth, crunching and munching sounds coming from it. It was completely focused on eating. Shinji saw something eerily familiar in the visage.

"Is… is this what I did? What happened to me back when I was absorbed?"

(SGE)

Sonic knew Kaworu, or Tabris or whatever, was already down here. Every instinct he had was gnawing at him. He was looking every direction but didn't know where to run to. He hated not knowing where to run to. Silver was skulking nearby, already levitating a couple of metal crates that were nearby, ready to toss them or climb on them in order to go with Sonic to wherever. The gigantic chamber of the LCL plant echoed the sounds of their careful steps.

They saw it, as they knew they would, upon turning on a familiar corner. The door to Lilith. And levitating right in front of it…

"TABRIS!"

"KAWORU!"

…was the boy whose double designation was yelled by both Sonic and Silver at the same time. He glanced back to smile at the hedgehogs before raising his left hand, opening it wide as if to grab something huge.

DING ZIIIIIIMMMMM!

The twisting double sound of his AT field manifesting atop his palm wasn't like the AT fields Sonic was used to. It was like it was meant only to flash or something like that and when it reached the gigantic door, it rumbled and started coming down, opening to reveal the dormant crucified creature inside but instead…

"What?"

"Huh?"

…revealing an empty giant cross, making Silver and Sonic ask in confusion.

"Ah I see." Kaworu's voice surprised them, snapping their attention back to the Angel.

"It's been moved… and modified," He turned. Sonic saw an unbelievably beautiful and amused smile on his face. He laughed, "The good doctor managed to turn the final piece of the puzzle into the final obstacle. Truly you outsiders are a marvelous thing."


	21. The second of the last two messengers

**Chapter 21:** _ **The second of the last two messengers**_

Shadow didn't have any trouble walking alongside the woman in the great halls of the UN building but it was the talk they were having that was wearing him out, making him grimace. The soft footsteps of his padded knickers and the thuds of Tomoe Yamada's heels' were echoing in the area.

"Tomoe, Madam Secretary, is this really wise? I know we've figured out the committee and the Commander were responsible for it all, but to mobilize the JSDF like this…"

"Just like you said Shadow, the Commander was responsible for it. Should he refuse to turn himself in…"

"If you open the way for the Committee to attack NERV, they will do more than just try to take Commander Ikari in. They will slaughter all NERV personnel in sight."

"NERV is a military organization, Shadow."

"And they know the risks of that, I am aware but you would risk soldiers' lives for nothing?"

"I just want _Gendo Ikari_ 's head."

"We don't know what those old men still have up their sleeves! Do I need to remind you that they had some of their brainwashed thugs working for you and that they would have killed you if it weren't for me?"

Tomoe finally hesitated, stopping her walking to look at Shadow again.

"These bastards don't have any sympathy or remorse for the entirety of their species Madam Secretary. Their plan was global extinction from the start. They just see it as evolution."

"…"

Shadow tried to not sound and look intimidating while he focused on her face, "The commander can be brought in. My companions are at NERV. We can handle these latest two Angels and the commander."

Tomoe hesitated for a couple more seconds, "Alright Shadow, I will not authorize the JSDF to attack NERV."

Shadow barely held back his sigh of relief. "Thank you Tomoe. You just saved a lot of innocent lives."

Actually _he_ just saved a lot of lives. He and the woman finally reached her particular office in the UN hall. As they walked inside, Tomoe continued their conversation.

"I will be counting on you to-"

RIIIIINNG.

Shadow could tell that the red telephone in her office ringing was probably just for emergencies. He could also tell it was never a good thing when it rang.

Tomoe answered it, "Tomoe Yamada, Secretary of the United Nations."

There was a slight pause in which Tomoe widened her eyes. Shadow sighed and started walking out.

But he was still close enough to hear her scream "THEY DID WHAT?!"

(SGE)

Misato forced her widened eyes to narrow at lieutenant Ibuki, "Wh-what do you mean?! Has Asuka been absorbed like Shinji was before?!"

"I-it's hard to say ma'am! All that Unit 02's telemetry is telling us is that her sync ratio is at 400%!"

Misato glared at the screen. _And we can see Unit 02 is eating an Angel, just like Unit 01 did…_

"Terminal Dogma has been breached by a Blue Pattern!" Aoba exclaimed suddenly, renewing the uproar all over the bridge.

Misato took one second to get over her shock before roaring "WHAT?!"

"Our base sensors are picking up a blue pattern down in Terminal Dogma!"

"But how?! Asuka just killed the latest Angel! How did this one get trough?!"

"It's… tiny, Ma'am. We couldn't possibly have noticed it during the first battle, just like the Red Patterns that followed it."

"Red pa- The mobians are already down there too, then?"

"There are no cameras down in that area but that's what our sensors are picking up."

She turned back to Maya, "What's the status of the Evas?"

"They're all technically fine," Maya said and then checked some other numbers, "Unit 02 is still hyper active, as is Unit 01 Ma'an. Only Unit 00 ran out of power."

Misato went back to her Com Unit, "Shinji-kun, I need you and Asuka to get back down here, down to Terminal Dogma. There's another Angel."

"Misato, is… is Asuka okay? Why can't I access her Com Unit?" the boy sounded terrified.

Misato swallowed, "I don't know what happened either Shinji-kun. We're trying to figure it out. I need you and her to get down there if you can. The hedgehogs are there already but-"

The blaring of every alarm on base cut Misato off and turned every face of Central Dogma into a mush of surprise and fear.

Misato ran her hands through her hair, "Oh what now?!"

(SGE)

Sonic scratched the back of his head, "Um… What do you mean Kaworu? The 'good doctor' made the final… into a 'final obstacle'? What?"

Kaworu seemed more amused than anything else, "The good doctor. You call him Eggman."

Sonic frowned, "What did he do this time?" He shook his head, remembering the empty cross ahead, the same cross where Lilith used to be, "Wait, he did something to Lilith?"

Kaworu laughed, "Of course he did; and behold the impossibility of it all. A godly being, meant to remake a world at its image, capable of absorbing anything that touches it, and it is completely incapable of stopping you outsiders from altering its appearance, its setting, even its purpose."

Sonic and Silver exchanged glances, "This doesn't have to end in a fight Kaworu," Silver sounded even more solemn than usual.

Sonic nodded, "Silver's right. If Lilith isn't even here anymore-"

"No my dear Sonic. She is." Kaworu was still smiling as he cut Sonic off, "She is just further down, immersed in her own LCL, twisted and changed into a fighting machine. Meant to be piloted by the good doctor."

Sonic narrowed his eyes, "I have defeated Eggman _every time_ he rolls out some kind of freaky contraption, Kaworu."

Silver nodded again, "We have even made short work of even bigger threats in the past Kaworu. You don't have to-"

"Actually I do, Silver," Kaworu directed his smile at Silver now, "We do as we are meant to do. I am meant to either be defeated or attain the ultimate freedom by joining with Lilith. Either way it's my own volition."

Sonic almost snarled, "You call killing everybody else with Third Impact or dying by yourself free?!"

"At least I am choosing Sonic. Just as you constantly do."

Sonic rose an eyebrow, "I… huh?"

"You could simply leave the good doctor be. Don't do any fighting, don't do anything but enjoy your freedom. Do you?"

"Heck no! The mess Eggman would make would be waaaayyyy too big."

"Doesn't that mean your choice is also curtailed by the circumstances of your being?"

"I… I guess."

Kaworu smiled broader, "Well there you have it. In choosing death I am preserving my own being. Preserving my own choice."

"But," Silver interjected hesitantly, "We don't choose to _not_ stop evil because there's no other choice, we do it because it's the right thing to do."

"And aren't I doing 'the right thing' as well?" He made air quotes by the time said 'the right thing', "Choosing to die alone instead of causing Third Impact? Was I not merciful in making it so you boys would have to be the ones to confront me instead of Shinji, breaking him further?" Kaworu finally nodded solemnly, "I am the Angel of Free Will."

The situation between the two mobians and the final Angel stood there, very still and very tense, as if sad classical music rang in the background, just with them staring down at one another; Silver and Sonic worriedly and determined and Kaworu still with the same smile.

Sonic held himself tense and at the ready to attack Kaworu but he still hesitated, still wanted to question the seemingly unquestionable logic the boy Angel presented he and Silver with. Still wanted to say something like 'I still won't fight' or 'you still don't have to fight' and 'here's why'.

Sonic honestly didn't know how long it was that he, Silver and Kaworu just stared at one another until it all fell apart, in one swift motion that Sonic was too focused on the Angel of Free Will to see.

"What the-! KAWORU LOOK OUT-!"

Sonic futilely jumped forward extending his hand to Kaworu as a giant metallic arm extended itself out of the sea of LCL behind them, making gigantic waves of orange destruction, destruction that followed its palm as it…

CRUNCH!

…crunched the silver haired teen under it like a pancake.

"KAWORU NOOOO!" Sonic ran towards Kaworu. But Kaworu was now just a red smear of blood, crushed flesh and gore on the ground.

Sonic would have had trouble fighting off the tears that were surely coming after seeing the boy's instantaneous destruction if the voice he heard next didn't instantly fill him with anger and hate.

"I told you my Hyper-Metal-Lilith could do it! Didn't I tell you she could do it, Gendo?!"

The metallic voice, yelling trough the metal of external speakers, boomed outward and echoed the LCL plant chambers. Sonic immediately recognized it. "Eggman…" He shook his fist at the direction the voice and the giant metal arm were coming.

It emerged then; making small tsunamis of LCL, the figure that was the owner of the arm that was made of Metal overlaying white flesh, thicker and more menacing than an Evangelion arm. Sonic waited a few excruciating scary moments to see that the giant the arm belonged to was just as menacing as the giant white fleshed metal covered arm. Seeing the intimidating figure, bigger than an Evangelion, pop straight up and giving him and Silver a full visage of it, made Sonic finally recognize the white flesh giant beneath all of the metal.

"Lilith."

Silver sounded just as angry, shocked and disgusted as he did, "Twisted and put back together in a metal shell…"

"OHOHOHO! That is correct hedgehogs! I, Doctor Robotnik, the greatest scientific mind that has ever existed, have created the ultimate Angel like cyborg! More powerful than the Evas, with the capacity to jump start Third Impact."

The giant just stood there as Robotnik boasted, caressing his own ego through whatever speakers to the outside world this thing had. Sonic saw the face and the designs in the metal were just like the Jet Alone he helped stop before. Of course it also had Eggman's personal touch of 'big metal mustache beneath big round black eyes covering the purple mask. The seven eyes it had before were covered by wiring of some sort. Sonic and Silver just glared straight at it.

"Using interfaced layers of the molecules, branding it with my own molecular structure, I managed to rearrange the superficial structure of the molecules in order to make it nonabsorbent, just like we Mobians were to the Original Lilith. Yes, the Original Lilith couldn't absorb us; I simply extrapolated that factor into different molecules, so that Lilith wouldn't absorb them, so that I could work on her."

Sonic rolled his eyes, actually indifferent to the white metallic behemoth before him. Silver was still glaring.

"That is also why it didn't start Third Impact when it touched, ahem, SMASHED the final Angel."

That little reminder actually got to Sonic and he returned to glaring up like Silver was, "How long you're gonna run your mouth, Egghead?!"

There was a pause Sonic knew was for smirking even though he couldn't see Robotnik's face right now, "I have finally devised the ultimate weapon. Hyper-Metal-Lilith is going to destroy you, your friends and give me a world to rule! The dear commander here will be with his wife again, I will rule this world and you, Sonic, will be dead. Win, win, win! OHOHOHOHOHO!"

Sonic would have said something in retort other than his fists trembling in anger but this 'hyper metal whatever' surprised him again. It rose. Ever so slowly it made its way upwards. It seemed to have gained some translucence, the metal and the white flesh shining slightly as it retreated upwards.

"Where is it going?" asked Silver, shaking Sonic back to the present.

"Can it go that way?"

Sonic didn't like answering a question with another but this time called for it. Because once it reached the ceiling of Terminal Dogma, after what seemed like a very long time for a giant being to be moving, it actually went through the solid wall.

Sonic rose one eyebrow, "Um-"

"It's translucent!" Silver sounded worried to the point of fear, "But why is it going upstairs?"

Sonic looked puzzled for a fraction of a second before widening his eyes and then glaring at Silver, "Silver! _Rei_ is upstairs!"

"What does that-?" Silver cut himself off and widened his eyes in realization, "Sonic…!"

"YES! Those geezers need Rei to launch Third Impact!" Sonic glared at the plant exit, ready to boost through it, "We have to warn everybody!"

(SGE)

Gendo scratched his beard, "Impressive." This was one of the rare times he actually meant that comment.

Robotnik's grin was maniacal, "I told you; Lilith couldn't touch an Angel, but of course my Hyper-Metal-Lilith can."

"I meant how we managed to escape the hedgehogs."

Robotnik was still grinning, "Pah! This particular feature is not on me. You can thank Lilith's translucent properties for that one. I merely claimed everything Lilith was for myself by roboticizing her. Though I will say that a mecha, a metal being that can phase through walls really is… _impressive._ OHOHOHOHO!"

Emotionless as ever, Gendo gazed around the control booth installed in the back of Lilith's neck one last time, pondering once again how far past the point of no return he was and huffed out, "Rei and Unit 01 are already at the surface."

Robotink cleared his throat, finally stopping his laughter, "Ah, yes. The final elements of the plan. You will get your wife back. I will get this world." He typed a few more commands in the keyboards in front of him. "Now then," Robotnik twirled from his pilot seat to grin wickedly at him, looking Gendo in the eye for the first time in a while, "Aren't you going to do your part?"

Without any kind of movement, Gendo picked up his phone from his pocket and selected the contact he had called more than any other in fifteen years. As usual, he picked up after two rings.

"Rokubungi." Kozo's voice was more solemn than usual. The old man probably knew what he was already going to say.

"It's time."

There were a few seconds of silence on the other end of the line before the answer, "I see."

"Take care of things from this point on."

"I will. Say hello to Yui for me."

He pretended the elation that suddenly hit him didn't even phase him, and he did so perfectly, remaining as still as a statue as he dialed to the other contact, his second most dialed. This time it took longer than usual for her to pick up, probably because she was still in the Eva, in her post battle state.

"Sir?" Gendo could have sworn she sounded nervous.

"It's time to fulfill your purpose Rei. Stay where you are. I am coming towards you, inside Lilith."

"I… I don't understand, sir. How-"

"You don't need to understand. Just wait for me there."

(SGE)

Rei actually felt she should have said something against the order the commander just gave her. She knew what purpose he thought she had, it was never directly spoken to her or anything like that but she knew, it came up in their conversations, in some of the times they had lunch together. She also knew and felt strongly about everything that Shinji had told her.

 _I`m unique. I matter. Love…_

She stared at the ceiling of her entry plug for some reason. The she closed her eyes.

 _Love. I love him. But not the same way he and pilot Soryu love each other. With Pilot Soryu gone again, what will he do?_

For the first time in her life without something that had triggered her (maybe something Shinji or Sonic said) she went into retrospection on what to do. On whether or not she should fulfill her purpose. Until eventually she fell back to the same words that Shinji told her, at what seemed so very long ago.

"Pain… is an unavoidable part of life. With the bad comes also the good."

And with those words that were barely above a whisper she 'felt' rather than heard or saw the alert status that blared in the screen of her Evangelion. Followed almost immediately by Major Katsuragi`s Face and Voice popping up along with it.

"Rei!" with her face, the com channel between all of the Evas also popped up the next second; a worried Shinji and static from Eva 02 showed up in her entry plug as well. "Listen to me, you, Shinji and Asuka are to remain on standby-"

"So, is Asuka okay, Misato?" Shinji cut her off as worried as he looked, "She was not absorbed again was she?"

Major Katsuragi gulped, "You asked me not to sugar coat anything anymore for you. She... may have been Shinji-kun, yes. We'll be looking into that when we have the time. For now I want you to wait there at the ready."

"Why? What's happening?"

"There are seven unidentified bogies of massive size headed straight to the city. ETA is 58 minutes. We… have strong reasons to believe it is the Mass Production Evangelion Series."

"Evangelions? Aren't they allies then?"

"Our intelligence doesn't indicate that, Shinji-kun."

Pilot Ika- Shinji hesitated and looked at Rei for some reason, apparently pondering on something. Had he taken longer looking at her, Rei would have asked him what was wrong.

But he finally looked at Major Katsuragi again. "They get here in 58 minutes right?"

"It's 57 now."

"There is something we should try before they get here."

Major Katsuragi blinked, "Shinji-kun?"

Shinji did something with his right hand, while focusing on it. There was something in the LCL around his hand; some sort of shimmer that Rei recognized as the strange energy the Mobians could use. She could see it even when it happened inside the LCL. In the next second there was a piece of jewelry on Shinji`s hand. Rei`s eyes widened slightly when she recognized it as the strange emeralds that the Mobians also used.

There was one difference though. A difference Shinji pointed out, "This is a sliver of the white Chaos Emerald. Kaworu copied it when he had it. He said I can use this to… do something."

Only now Rei noticed Major Katsuragi`s eyes were very wide, alternating her gaze between the emerald and Shinji. "Shi-Shinji-kun how did-? When-?" She shook her head as if to clear it. "What does that thing do? And how do you know it's not a trap? Kaworu was the final Angel."

"I trusted Kaworu, Misato. Like you said, we connected. Besides, I know this is desperate, but this is a pretty desperate situation."

Major Katsuragi narrowed her eyes in deep thought, not saying anything. That silence was enough for Rei to think.

 _I will be in the midst of it all in the end. Inside an Evangelion out of power._

 _Shinji in Unit 01 will try to prevent instrumentality, while the commander will approach me in the twisted version of Lilith Doctor Robotnik created._

"Misato, please." Shinji pleaded. And that pleading was enough for Rei to reach a conclusion.

 _I will not be a puppet for Commander Ikari to control._

 _Will the Commander reach me first or will Shinji reach me first? I'll let fate decide._

Just as she thought that, Major Katsuragi gave Shinji her answer, "56 minutes is enough for you to come down to the base and back to the Eva but what do you have in mind? What will that thing do?"

"I`m going to… call someone to help."

"Call someone?"

"Yes. And, Misato?"

"Hm?"

"Do we have any Jingisukan on the base?"

(SGE)

Misato accompanied her ward down the transport lines and corridors out of the Evangelion and into the base. Luckily the male workers present were willing enough to hunt down a homemade lunch for her as she got Shinji. She just hoped whatever it was Shinji wanted to do with a tray of Jingisukan it was actually worth this effort. She actually hated having to flirt with strange men to get something she needed. Good thing it was easy enough for 'whatever his name was' to get a bento that had Jingisukan in it, even though they were a long way away from Hokkaido.

Shinji arrived displaying as much urgency as she felt. Relief tinged his face, even though he didn't even smile, when he saw that she actually did have the bento with Jingisukan. Misato never got tired of seeing her small soldier in his plugsuit and he looked even better with this spontaneous sense of duty. How much better was it that his anger was not aimed at her anymore. As the both of them entered the nearest lunch area, empty due to the alert still in place, a shiver ran down her spine as she realized Shinji was pretty much the best man she ever knew.

 _I think I just went beyond inappropriate…_

"Shinji-kun, whatever you're gonna do, do it fast. The Mass Production Eva Series will arrive in 48 minutes."

 _Ah yes, dodge the subject with the issue at hand._

Shinji gulped and nodded before once again summoning the emerald sliver he had summoned earlier. And it once again amazed Misato how these precious gems could be materialized from nothing, among other wondrous things they could do. He heated up the Jingisukan in the microwave and set it in the round and small dining table in the middle of the room. He stared at the white sliver of emerald in his hand.

"I'm not sure… how to do this. Kaworu told me I could call him with this so…"

Misato narrowed her eyes. "Ressurect the last Angel? Is that the plan here, Shinji?"

Shinji shook his head, "If I could bring Kaworu back I would," He noticed Misato's face, "Probably. But I didn't mean call him…"

"Then who-"

FLASH!

The momentary flash of yellow devilish light was enough to frighten Misato, she reached for her gun in her chest holster before looking at Shinji again. He was wearing the same dumbfounded look that must have been on her face and his plugsuit clad hands were empty.

"What-? How did- Why?" Shinji looked frantic, dismayed and terrified all at the same time, "But I didn't even do anything!" He looked around, as if looking for the piece of jewel that vanquished.

Misato sighed, approaching him, "It's okay Shinji-kun. It's not like we know anything about these things." He still looked shocked and dismayed, "Maybe Kaworu wasn't even trying to do something for you. Maybe he didn't know what he was doing. We can't understand him either. He was an Angel."

Shinji looked even more down than before. _Good one Misato…_

She was about to approach him more, maybe touch his shoulder, to order him back to his Eva.

"You've got to be kidding me…"

But she was instead stopped, frozen solid on the spot, by the most ancient and scariest voice she ever heard. Every instinct she had blared instantaneously and she quickly turned back to the source of the voice.

"How did you even- Ah I see, Tabris of Free Will aided you."

The voice spoke again but Misato's brain was too frozen to do anything except stare at the small creature, a little shorter than Shinji, which had appeared in the lunch room they were at, directly behind them. It had cobalt dark blue skin and white indentations around the edges of its limbs and quills. Yes, quills; this was a hedgehog like Sonic, Shadow and Silver, but what the other hedgehogs managed to have that was cute, or even pretty, this one was scary, dented and abominable.

And it was the face that sealed the deal as the scariest creature Misato had ever seen up close. Considering the Angels she had seen, that was saying a lot. It had yellow eyes with red background and a crystallized mouthless muzzle. That's why it took Misato a while to figure out it was the thing that was talking.

"Mep-Mephiles!" Shinji sounded elated and terrified as he spoke to the creature.

 _Mephiles._ The thought itself was scary and echoed in Misato's head. So this is the Mobian grim reaper Shinji-kun fought back at Hokkaido. The reports made from Shinji-kun's account of events did the looks of this thing no Justice.

"T-This… this is not what it seems, Mephiles."

"Really?" Mephiles took a step towards Shinji and Misato finally drew her gun, pointing at the incredibly intimidating hedgehog, only to be completely ignored. "Because to me it seems you summoned me to some place against my will. No different than when Shadow imprisoned me in the Scepter of Darkness back when I arrived in Soleanna's past."

"Stop right there!" Misato commanded, for once failing at sounding authoritative and pointing her gun at him.

Mephiles glared at her. It took Misato's entire will power to not shiver at the creature looking up at her. Before Mephiles or her could do anything however…

CLACK.

…Shinji opened the Bento box that had just been heated in the Microwave.

"W-would you like to eat Mephiles? It's Jingisukan: your favorite."

 **Author's note: Evangelion belongs to Gainax, Sonic belongs to Sega.**

 **In case you guys have forgotten, Jingisukan is a Japanese delicacy, native mainly of Hokkaido, which exists in pretty much every city of the island and is made of barbecued lamb and mutton. I never tried it myself but it's supposedly very tasty, and almost exclusive to Hokkaido.**

 **Many thanks to GamerJay for beta reading and to everyone that has accompanied the story thus far. I am very thankful and very glad we are entering the final stages of this story. I can't believe I am this close to finishing it all Since the JSDF will not attack thanks to Shadow, ad SEELE is being arrested as the MP Evas attack, the 'End of this Evangelion Fanfic' will probably be quicker than most. But can our heroes stop the improved battle mecha version of Lilith before it reaches Rei? Let's find out in the next two chapters.**

 **Yes I'm guessing two more chapters and an epilogue to wrap this up. I'm hyped! Hope to see you guys then.**


	22. Live to Rise

**Chapter 22:** _ **Live to Rise**_

"So yeah, that is… all that happened…"

Mephiles' only response to Shinji's long winded little speech of what happened in the last few hours, from the attack of the last two Angels up to the detection of the mass production Eva series. Misato didn't miss how Shinji's face twisted slightly in pain when he mentioned Kaworu, but what she was still having the most trouble with was the creature right in front the both of them. She didn't even have the opportunity to call a security team to guard them against the cobalt and silver creature with the terrifying eyes.

 _It is the same height as Sonic and it's just sitting there, eating slowly as it listens to Shinji. Why am I this intimidated?! I've seen Angels up close for god sake! Maybe it's the fact he is eating even though there's no mouth in his muzzle._

With that thought Misato noticed Shinji had stopped talking for a while now. And Mephiles was still just sitting there, finishing up his Jingisukan.

"…"

"…"

Mephiles' munching was but the sound of a whisper but it sounded louder than any of the screams Misato had heard from Shinji, Asuka and Rei.

"…"

Shinji blinked and glanced at Misato.

Misato just shook her head.

SLUUUURRRP-

Misato was even more weirded out at the fact Mephiles had no mouth when he started slurping the remainder of his soda. She also noticed he was done eating. So now Shinji and Misato were just standing there while Mephiles drank, looking at nothing in particular.

 _Okay I hate doing this to Shinji-kun but if I'm the one to talk to… it, I'll probably just shoot it._

Then Misato nudged Shinji, making him glance at her again and then she gestured at Mephiles with her head, while looking at Shinji straight in the eye.

Shinji gulped, slowly closed his eyes and nodded. He slowly turned to look directly at Mephiles, "Um-"

" _Shut up_ Shinji."

Misato just noticed Mephiles wasn't being hostile before, because now that he _did_ sound hostile, she couldn't hold back the shivers down her spine. Shinji's wince was even more prominent than her own.

"I didn't have you free me from my bond to Crisis and gave you the opportunity to unbind me from Solaris for this."

Now Misato was actually ready to maybe point her gun at Mephiles again, though she knew probably nothing could come of it.

"For you to summon me to tie your shoes when you trip, to change your diapers like you're a helpless baby."

He wiped his muzzle with the nearby napkin, though there was no mouth to clean. Once again Misato wondered about that: he has no mouth, so how did he even eat and drink, even though Misato just watched him do it?

"I warned you about your father, Shinji. How long ago was it that I warned you about your father?"

Shinji hesitated, "Um-"

"Long ENOUGH," Only to be cut off by Mephiles again, "for you to use the emerald I _gave_ you, or _any other_ sort of concealed weapon, to put an end to his miserable life."

Shinji finally expressed something that wasn't fear. Misato was pretty sure she saw hate twisting under the teenage face.

"And yet, here we are, with your little universe on the brink of oblivion."

"Well, I'm SORRY!" Shinji screamed.

And his explosion seemed to grab Mephiles' attention, but it was hard for Misato to tell because of the 'no mouth' and 'red yellowish eyes' status of this cobalt hedgehog. But both she and he were listening to Shinji now.

"I'm sorry, okay, I AM SORRY!" He winced and stomped his plugsuit clad foot on the ground as he apologized, "I have been trying to protect my world for a long time now and it may not look it but _I have been trying my best_! I managed to HATE my father, but I couldn't kill him! And he now has what he needs to cause Third Impact, I couldn't protect the girl I love and she's been absorbed into her Eva! AGAIN! I couldn't…" His words fell short, as if his rage and the memory of his most recent failures drained him, he looked down and tears ran down his cheek.

Of course Mephiles said nothing, nor flinched as he looked at him again with tears staining his face. Misato was the one eyeing him sadly, still very aware of the hedgehog in the room. She wanted to reach out, to give at least one or two words of comfort but she couldn't. All she managed to do was put a soothing hand on the boy's shoulder as he sobbed.

"So, maybe," Misato's touch was like a trigger for him to keep speaking. "…just MAYBE… you should find someone better to be the hero…"

Mephiles stood up from where he had been eating, "Or maybe I should spend my time on a better universe. One where you are a ruthless hunter raised by aliens and are banging Major Katsuragi instead of Pilot Soryu comes to mind," He started walking away, "Well, it's been amusing."

"Wait!" Misato stopped him, putting what he just said about 'ruthless hunter banging her' out of her mind and barely stopping herself from shuddering at those sinister alien yellow eyes on red backgrounds looking at her, "Please, you-" She stuttered. Misato Katsuragi actually stuttered, "Y-you have to care at least a little bit what happens to us…!"

"You know, I really don't. But I do find that little commander of yours to be… arrogant."

Misato tried to show him a good smile but was pretty sure it came out a terrified smile, "Okay, great, let's go with that! Help us stop the arrogant bastard!"

"Although Lilith's body has been stolen by doctor Robotnik by the twisting of robotization, Lilith's vessel is still pilot Rei Ayanami. Because she is limited by her robot parts, Lilith alone can't start instrumentality by joining with Adam. But Gendo Ikari can still activate Lilith by joining the vessel with Adam. Your only chance is to stop him from getting to Rei Ayanami and merging her and Adam together."

Misato blinked, "That must be why our sensors indicated Lilith's ascension towards the city. Towards Unit 00."

Shinji slightly shook his head before speaking again, "But… the Mass Production Evangelions are on their way, and Lilith is already making its way upstairs, towards Rei."

Misato nodded, "And with Asuka and Rei incapacitated, Shinji- Unit 01 is the only viable Eva! How is he going to stop the MP Eva series AND Metal Lilith by himself?"

"Figure it out."

The finality in Mephiles' commanding words gave pause to both Misato and her ward and it was a long moment before the military officer in Misato kicked in.

"Shinji-kun, you should get back to Unit 01." She ordered her ward, pointing towards the door.

"I can do that," Misato and Shinji looked at Mephiles when he spoke again.

"Huh?" asked Misato.

"He'll be ready to fight again faster if I teleport him back to his entry plug," Mephiles approached Shinji and once again Misato was amazed at how brave this kid, this young man was. He didn't even wince when Mephile's creepy stone like white fingers and cobalt hand touched his shoulder.

Shinji gulped, "Than-"

"Don't thank me." Mephiles cut him off darkly, "Clean up this mess."

Shinji nodded and raised his head as Mephiles' other hand raised to the same level of his eyes, as if to touch his forehead, but then it stopped.

"Try to summon me again, or make me do anything against my will ever again…"

And it stopped so Mephiles could speak again and make his hand not touching Shinji catch fire, right in front of Shinji's face. Whether it was from the danger or from the heat of the blue flames, Shinji finally winced and once again looked terrified. Misato took a step towards them as her face twisted in agonizing worry, but she stopped when Mephiles spoke again…

"…you will be dead before you start."

…And the flames in his hand disappeared as if they were never there. So this was just a warning. Apparently Mephiles is really big on his own freedom.

"By the way, Shinji," Mephiles spoke again as he finally put his index finger to Shinji's forehead, "Jingisukan is not my favorite dish; it just happened to be the best one in that joint back at Hokkaido."

Shortly after Mephiles' finger touched Shinji's forehead and was done speaking, Shinji disappeared in a flash of green light, the same flash of the so called Chaos Control. Mephiles then looked at Misato one last time

Misato blinked, "Um…"

"You should get to the command center. Call in the hedgehogs, they're probably coming back from Terminal Dogma as well."

Misato narrowed her eyes, suddenly remembering Sonic and Silver did go deep inside the base to Stop Kaworu. And now the Mass Production Evangelion Series would arrive and pretty much shortly after they arrive, the roboticized version of Lilith would arrive. She would have turned to run back to the command center like Mephiles said but halted when Mephiles started ascending.

She blinked, looking up at him, "What? What are you-?"

"I can be translucent like Lilith was. Something as powerful as me and native of this universe is also using its powers. That will allow me to move freely without opening the way to Solaris. I can go to him put an end to his life myself, as soon as Lilith is defeated

"I… Don't understand."

"If you want something done right, Major Katsuragi, do it yourself."

Realization crossed Misato's mind as Mephiles phased through the dining room ceiling, upwards, towards the city.

 _The commander… Well it's not like Mephiles will do anything he doesn't deserve…_

She turned and ran towards her post.

(SGE)

As she walked away from the dining room where Mephiles had just ascended to the surface, right after teleporting Shinji, hopefully to his entry plug, Misato picked her phone as she undid the pony tail behind her head, and used the speed dial she had used a few times before.

"Status?" She demanded from the mouth piece.

"Good afternoon," Hyuga never lost a chance to greet her, "As you know the emergency state is still in vigor on all of Tokyo-03 since this morning's battle. We've received word from the Japanese government that thanks to Shadow the Hedgehog, an A-801 has just been repelled."

"A-801?" Misato was walking hard and with purpose towards the bridge.

"It's an order that transfer command of NERV to the Japanese government. We've been told that Shadow the Hedgehog vouched for us, and this current attack is the Instrumentality Committee acting on its own volition."

"Current attack?"

"We're being hacked right now! From all outside sources!"

There was a small pause on the other side of the line. Enough for Misato to get on the small service elevator that usually took her to the command Centre.

"This is lieutenant Ibuki. Doctor Akagi has started working on protective measures." Maya sounded strangely authoritarian and nervous as Misato ascended the small distance to Central Dogma. Sure enough, when she arrived she saw the MAGI pried open and parts scattered about. Maya and Hyuga were right there waiting for her, still with the emergency phone in hand.

(SGE)

In the very poorly lit bowels of the very intestines of the MAGI, with several notes hanging about written in both her mother's hand writing and her own, Ritsuko typed furiously away, initiating every single measure necessary to initiate the B-Danang Type-M defense system. There was a reason the pet name for this firewall was protocol 666. After these measures the MAGI's defense would be unshakable for 60 days.

 _How pathetic would it be if I was still with him? I'd probably still be doing this. Trying to put logic in a relationship._

Had her head and hands not been so busy, the smile of Maya Ibuki that came to her head right then would have made her smile.

 _It's silly to assume that a one way relationship can work. I need to tell you I did to you the same thing he was doing to me during your first few months working here, don't I, Maya?_

With the measures prepared and the program already being executed, she finally did smile.

 _I'm sorry I did that to you, Maya. Had I know what Sonic and Shadow taught me before, we probably would have been together sooner._

Her smiling face turned to the last standing symbol of what caused her so much pain and grief, the one that made her be so afraid and so hesitant. The thing that terrified her, from not being able to meet her expectations to being exactly like her. Ironically it was being like her that got her to listen to the mobians and be on the path of change in the first place. And now here she was; actually able to smile at the thing that at one point not so long ago filled her with dread.

Ritsuko Akagi rubbed lovingly the metal container that read 'Casper 03', with the square cut mark and had cloned human brain tissue inside.

 _I am free of your ghost, mother._

She was still smiling as she climbed out of the freezer like environment that was the inner workings of the MAGI. She was already listening to celebration outside, and Maya's distant voice saying that the defenses of the MAGI were successful. She crawled out of the tube she was typing in and before she walked out completely, she whispered.

"Goodbye."

(SGE)

Keel sighed as the reports popped into his screen. He addressed the monoliths all around him, "Ikari has used the 666 protection protocol. It is very hard to fend it off."

"We'll have to give up on seizing the MAGI." SEELE 06 stated somewhat sadly.

"And because of the actions of the hedgehogs in the UN body we can't seize the base directly either." A heavy Hungarian accented Japanese echoed the room.

"Keel!" Lorenz stopped keeping track of his brothers' numbering nationality long ago, but when the French accented Japanese screamed his name, also echoing the dark room, SEELE 04 had his full attention, even making him crane his old neck, "Dimitri isn't here because he's been arrested by the Russian authorities!"

Unlike some of his companions already were, Keel wasn't losing his cool, "We mustn't stray away from the path now that we are so close brothers. Once our sacred work is complete, these petty inputs will no longer matter. Our species will transcend these meaningless differences and we will all be united. As is stated by divine will."

SEELE 04 hesitated, "Well, I suppose that-" a loud thud came from the other side of the SEELE 04 monolith. Crashing and seizing sounds followed, muffled by distance and being on the other side of a communication line.

"French prime minister Jacques Rocard," A second voice that wasn't SEELE 04, also muffled by distance and being on the other side the com line, spoke authoritatively, "under executive command of the United Nations your diplomatic Immunity is hereby revoked and we are here to place you under arrest for crimes against humanity."

There was a pause of everything, in the dark room with the black monoliths and in the room that SEELE 04 was standing in, on the other side. Ominous silence of shock where nobody had anything to say.

"This… T-This is an outrage!" SEELE 04 boomed again, only this time Keel also heard fear in the French man's voice. "Do you insects realize what I have been doing?! What I am?! I-"

SLAM!

The SEELE 04 monolith faded after the sound of the butt of a gun slamming against a chin.

Ominous silence reigned in once again. All the monoliths were standing there in silence and Keel was sure every single one of the Committee members were wearing equal masks of shock and horror. Keel knew because that was the face he himself was making under his visor.

"We need to hurry, brothers."

(SGE)

What Rei was contemplating for the first time in her life felt almost heretical in nature.

Standing up against and eventually disobeying Commander Ikari wasn't just what was about to happen, it was the quintessential result of every event that has happened thus far, as ripples in an ocean of possibility. As if ever since the moment the mobians appeared in this universe, starting with doctor Robotnik, then Sonic, then the 'almost' battle with Shadow to finally Silver inside the same volcano that Saldaphon was inside of, the consequences of different actions culminated is thoughts and feeling she never thought she would even have.

 _I could be replaced before Doctor Robotnik destroyed the tank… But I no longer wish to be, even if the tank was still intact._

 _I am unique… I was so even before the tank with my spares was destroyed._

…

 _Love._

…

 _Or emptiness._

Gazing at the nothingness of her deactivated entry plug, the dark redness of the now powerless Unit 00 served as some sort of numbing agent that made her reinforce her decision of not actually giving it to Commander Ikari, but to the hands of fate. She nodded at nothing in particular, a gesture empty to herself, and totally new. As if in conjuncture to her conclusion, her special com unit flashed again. _He_ was contacting her again.

"Rei."

As cold as ever, his voice made her do only the smallest of movements, to stare at the com piece his voice was coming from.

"We will encounter resistance to get to you. Both from the Mass Production Evangelions and Units 01 and 02. You will stay put and come to no one except me."

"No."

Rei astounded herself right then, though her expression barely betrayed such feelings. There was a long silence between her side of the line and the other.

"What did you-?"

"I will not be a puppet for you to control." She savored the pause for a long moment, whatever it was that she felt during it, before continuing it. "I will let fate decide this." And now she felt as if someone, or _something,_ was speaking through her. "Yours is _not_ the hand I want. The shell you're riding in towards me is _not_ me. I will let fate decide this."

She cut the line off, being done with any communications until this was over. She sat back and waited. Also, for the first time in a very long time, she doubted. But, also for the very first time in her life, she felt free. She was not sure what of, but she did feel free, as if a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders.

So leaning back in her entry plug to wait for the oncoming was the easiest thing she ever did, even with her original body fast approaching, and the only one who could save her (or maybe it was 'stop her from starting Third Impact') was the boy of the same age as her about to engage the deadly Mass Production Evangelions approaching.

 _Will Shinji come to me first or will the commander?_

 _I will let fate decide this._

(SGE)

Robotnik blinked. Even he was surprised Rei Ayanami actually showed insubordination to Gendo Ikari.

"Well, that was unexpected. Not to mention anti-climatic."

Even being the most intelligent evil genius in the multi-verse, there were a few things Robotnik could not describe with simple words; Gendo's expression of unrepentant shock with wide eyes behind the dark glasses was one of them.

"It is of… little consequence," the commander of NERV actually hesitated, much to Robotnik's delight, "We will simply have to take her by force once we reach the surface."

Robotnik grinned and turned back to the controls of the Angel that was now his roboticized mech, "Our ascension is going smoothly. You have got to love how Hyper-Meta-Lilith can pass through solid objects."

(SGE)

The only thing stopping Shinji from hugging his own knees like a child as he sat in his entry plug was the fact he was about to engage in what he was pretty sure was his last battle. His final fight. The fact he knew people down in the Command Center, including Misato, were probably watching him. He kept going back to everything that had happened, everything that he had probably lost in the last few hours.

 _Nagisa-kun was the final Angel. Asuka was absorbed fighting the one before that. Rei and her Eva are down, shortly behind me, and my father is going to try to reach her to end the world._

…

 _Have I failed every time that I fought?_

He thought about the times he managed to save people and win. He thought about how he stood up against his father, about how he had Asuka.

 _Asuka…_

Again the barbwire of sadness constricted his chest. To have her for the few months that he did and then to have her being absorbed like he was, absorbed as she fought an Angel, it seemed like some sort of confusing karmic punishment.

But punishment for what?

Didn't he win? Didn't he do his best? Didn't he decided _not_ to kill himself, when he realized how his father felt about him? Didn't he stand up against his father? Didn't he accept the good along with the bad?

 _Along with the bad…_

He frowned as he puzzled over this. He went so close to killing himself over something as stupid as a mass murdering psycho who isn't over his wife's death not liking him, only to be saved by Sonic. He laughed and felt happiness when he was with Asuka, when he was hanging out with Sonic, the few times they crossed paths on base. He smiled when he was hanging out with Toji and Kensuke. Even something as mundane as the house chores Misato would never do became a reason to smile.

Because he was not alone.

 _Of course there's nothing ordinary in what you do. Take the good along with the bad._

Robotnik's voice echoed inside his head.

 _You're awesome Shinji. Don't ever let anyone tell you differently._

And now Sonic's…

 _You did a noble thing today Shinji-kun. You should be proud._

…followed by Misato's.

 _Misato… I said I hated her, just like my father. And she forgave me._

He closed his eyes as he gripped the handles of his Eva.

 _Asuka. Misato. Kensuke, Toji._

…

 _Sonic._

 _Thank you. Thank you all._

He opened his eyes and _glared_ straight ahead.

 _I will not run away._

Shinji saw it then; nine black planes, several times the length of an Evangelion, coming directly towards him in a straight line, each of the planes with a white 'belly' of sorts. A white belly that Shinji knew exactly what purpose it served and what those planes were carrying. As they approached they started breaking alignment so the area below them would be free and Shinji understood.

"Misato."

His still open com link flared up, displaying Misato's face in hologram form. "Yes Shinji-kun?"

"I have visual on the targets. The enemy is about to deploy their Eva Series."

There was a moment of hesitation before she nodded, "Alright, good luck Shinji-kun."

He nodded back, "Thank you, Misato. Is it really a good idea to keep Unit 02 in the lower shafts?"

Misato swallowed, took a deep breath closing her eyes and addressed Shinji directly, "Without Asuka in there, with her being absorbed like you were, the Eva is pretty much useless, Shinji-kun," She managed to smile slightly at him, "But the safest place for Asuka is inside, Shinji-kun."

"…"

"Don't worry. We'll… bring her back somehow. After this is over."

Shinji actually shrugged, "I managed to get out on my own. I'm pretty sure she will too." He hoped he sounded more confident then he felt.

Misato smiled again, "That's the spirit Shinji-kun."

"Misato?"

She looked at him again instead of turning the com unit off.

"It's been a honor."

He shut the com unit off himself before Misato could respond, his own voice breaking as he finished what he knew could very well be his last words to her.

He then shook his head. _That's not going to happen. I'm not alone. I don't wanna fail, I can't fail._

As he saw the white bellies of the black giant planes move, a slight far away tremble indicating the entry plug slots closing with a gush of white smoke like stuff. Instantly after the hatches closed, the white giants withered and convulsed as they were deployed from their carrier planes. The Mass Production Evangelions, nine in total descended with ominous slowness while carrying giant metal like beams that looked like big swords and got off their falling pattern when they extended their white wings, obfuscating the sun. The swirling motion of white abominations descending upon the land only made the whiteness of descending destruction be more ominous, as they leveled their flight pattern and simply hovered above the earth beneath them in a circle.

Shinji Gulped, "They are just… hovering above me Misato."

Her face didn't pop back up, "They are showing off, Shinji-kun. Trying to use shock and awe on you."

Shinji gulped again. _I think it's working…_

"Remember, they are equipped with an S2 organ, just like Unit 01. They can work indefinitely, like you."

Overwhelmed by simple numbers and the maneuvers made by the flying Evangelions, Shinji recoiled inside his own entry plug and it was as if his self prepping just awhile ago was completely useless.

 _I wish you were here, Asuka… No wait. Maybe I don't…_

The Evangelion Mass Production Series landed all around him, thundering sounds of foots hitting the grounds around Shinji echoed every direction around him.

 _I'm probably going to die fighting here… You would get to live if you weren't absorbed again…_

The creepy white marshmallow like monsters the same size as Shinji's Eva surrounded him. Stumped by fear, Shinji waited for the first strike to come.

 _I wish I could have at least seen you one last time, Asuka._

 _Not just you, Sonic, Silver and even Shadow…_

Shinji closed his eyes and his Evangelion raised its own fists, ready to fight.

 _I also wish I was strong enough to say something like 'it`s a good day to die`…_

Then it all happened all at once; the loud sound of watery explosion that Shinji first mistook for one of the MP Evas landing, the first MP Eva made land with a dry sound that pumped up dozens of tons of dirt and a red familiar giant humanoid flew across the sky. Shinji shook his head but the smile that crept across his face was inevitable and beaming, tears welled up in his eyes and he couldn't help but ask to no one in particular.

"A…Asuka?"

(SGE)

Elation filled every limb of her body, joy filled every cell, and ecstatic jubilation filled her entire being. She didn't know how or why she existed again just like the first time and she didn't care. She was soaring. Literally and figuratively. Her Eva was her body. She was her Eva. She was certain her sync ration was at least on a hundred percent but she didn't bother to check. That moment, that perfect moment of being elated as highly as possible in every possible way, was too good to focus on anything else but the moment. Not even the fact she was naked inside her entry plug bothered her. Nothing but that moment existed. Nothing but that bliss.

As her Eva landed, she felt her smile almost crack her face. She opened her eyes and declared, "Mama. I finally understand!"

(SGE)

"This- This is impossible! It's not 400% like her last time and that other time with Shinji and Unit 01 but how can Asuka's Synch ratio be oscillating between 100% and 105 %?!"

Ritsuko smiled, not sure if because Maya was cute even when freaking out or because a certain weight concerning Asuka's mother had been lifted from her shoulders.

"She is definitely back! Telemetry of Unit 02 is online again! All systems nominal and functional!" Hyuga screamed.

"Energy readings are not diminishing! All indications are that Unit 02 has an S2 engine like Unit 01!" Aoba declared.

Ritsuko felt rather than saw Misato nodding while smiling, "Okay good! She'll help Shinji-kun destroy those things! Come on guys we're severely outnumbered, toughest battle yet! Let's do this!"

Maya uncharacteristically yelled, "Red pattern inside the base! The hedgehogs just left Terminal Dogma and are headed outside! ETA is 4 minutes if we open every personnel door!"

Misato took a step closer to the command bridge, "Alright, do it! Asuka and Shinji are going to need every help they can get."

Ritsuko had the grace to discretely look at her friend and then at the old relic that technically outranked her and her friend, still silent in the back.

"You still think you and him will see that woman again?" She whispered so no one would actually listen.

(SGE)

Sonic groaned as he ran. Going back to the surface wasn't much of a problem for him, it was just running. Same fun as always. But it was the situation they were about to face AND the situation they _just_ faced that kept his mind racing over and over it all. The fact he and Silver didn't have any badniks to fight as they went only helped in making his mind spin back to what they just witnessed.

"You might as well say what's on your mind Sonic."

Sonic frowned. _So I'm really not even hiding this at all…_

"He… he killed him, Silver. He just turned Kaworu into pasta."

Silver just kept gliding along the corridors of NERV corridors alongside his blue running counterpart without saying anything.

"I mean I have… partially failed to stop Robotnik before but…"

"You can't keep thinking about the ones you couldn't save and can't save anymore Sonic. Not unless you go back in time. Just focus on what you can still do.^

Sonic glared with determination directly ahead of him, "And I can still kick the Egg's butt and stop Third Impact."

Neither hedgehog said anything else for a while, until they passed another checkpoint that opened as they were approaching.

Silver looked pensive, "I guess NERV staff knows what happened down there with Lilith and are trusting that we're getting out to help stop her." He looked questioningly at Sonic, "Do you think Shadow will reach us?"

Sonic glared even harder ahead, "He better! Two of the Chaos emeralds are still with him! And I'm guessing we'll need all seven for this."

(SGE)

Shadow groaned as the Gigantic 9 planes flew above him.

"Damn."

Even being far away and somewhat restrained by the giant black planes carrying them the white Evangelion that he could see, the one beneath them all, was still ominous and intimidating. Only when the planes were somewhat far away could Shadow count there were nine of them. Only the mere passage of the giant black planes carrying crucified white Evas was enough for a deafening sound of crushing force and a visage that steered doom and woe.

"And my trip from the UN building back to Tokyo 03 was going so well too." He narrowed his eyes, "Shinji, Asuka and Rei will have to fight that by themselves. And Rei doesn't have an Evangelion with an unlimited power supply."

He reached for the red Chaos Emeralds and rose it above his head, then he hesitated. "Silver, Sonic and me will probably need our super forms to prevail on this day. It's not wise to use a speck of Chaos Energy just to teleport back to the battle field."

Shadow cursed under his breath. One of the few occasions he would have to let the children fight first. This was one of the only times he actually cursed the fact power rings didn't exist in this universe.

 _If I run as fast as I can, I can be back at the Geofront in about five minutes._

After he was done with his thought he boosted.

(SGE)

Asuka's unrivalled happiness was even more complimented when she saw her boyfriend's face in her com unit.

"Asuka! You're okay!"

Asuka grinned harder, "I am so much better than okay, Shinji!"

Asuka soared. She couldn't remember the last time she felt like this. It was amazing. It was as unbelievable as it was amazing. There wasn't even any doubt in her. She knew what had happened, she knew where she was and, more importantly; who she was with.

"I know where our mothers are, Shinji!" she now noticed she was naked. Having rematerialized inside her plug back from where her mother was, it was no surprise she didn't come back inside her plug suit, but not even that phased her.

Shinji blinked, "Our… mothers?"

He and her snapped their heads as they heard the sound of the second MP Eva landing, followed by a barrage of the remaining seven making the ground shortly after, one following the other.

Since Shinji deserved to know as well she just continued speaking, "Our mothers are in our Evas!" She didn't even acknowledge his shocked face, "The Evangelions are powered by human souls! That's why only we can pilot it! That's why we felt the way we did when we were absorbed! That's why you came back from being absorbed just because I asked your Eva to give you back!"

Shinji didn't move. He was too shocked and too focused on Asuka to notice every single one of the Mass Production Evangelions were landed and standing up, turning slowly towards them.

"I just felt like that all over again! I finally see what the AT field is!"

Shinji smiled at Asuka's elating state of being as if he couldn't help himself. Asuka knew there was something brooding inside him, there was something he wanted to say, but instead was just smiling at her like that. She didn't care, of course. She loved the idiot. The way he was smiling at her now only made her feel better. She'd tell him to just say what was on his mind or maybe elaborate a little more on the whole 'our mothers are in our Evas' thing.

But the enemies attacked.

To Asuka, that swipe of two of the creepy white Evangelions was feeble and slow, something that in her elated state, her state of being protected by her mother, was easily avoided and countered. And she soared in doing so, sending the MP Eva she hit back flying backwards and the MP Eva that missed her stumbling forwards.

It seemed Shinji was enjoying at least some of this high that she was feeling too. Though she couldn't read his synch ratio right now, he was probably experience a great spike right now too. Not only because she saw his face when she told him about his mother, but also because right now, Unit 01 moved at a speed she never even seen before. All she saw was a purple blur getting out of the way of a swatting hand from another MP Eva.

 _I must look even better than that right now._

Unit 02 dodged another strike from yet another MP Eva and immediately countered with a kick to the elongated red lipped muzzle.

 _This is so AWESOME!_

Not even the fact the white creepy bird like Evangelions were now drawing their sword like spears scared her. Didn't even made her worry. That's how high she was right now.

 _Mama! You have always been with me! Every time I fought, every time I was in my Eva, every time I thought about my Eva!_

Nothing could possibly break her from this never ending high, nothing could possibly make her stop smiling and shock her out of this.

"ASUKA!"

Or so she first thought, for Shinji's crying of her name and what he said next actually made her stop dead on her tracks and widen her eyes at him, her mouth agape.

"Will you marry me?!"

 **Author`s note: BOOM, how is THAT for the start of a final battle?! AND for a glorious return of a story I'm sure many of you thought was dead?! AND for a ranting author's note from an author finally out of his writer's block and who is done dealing with real life's crap?! LOL!**

 **Yes yes yes, Sonic Genesis Evangelion is still going. And this time, every single chapter left to make until it is done and finished is probably coming around fairly quickly. Yes, we're even closer to the ending now guys. By the next chapter our heroes will be fighting the Evangelion Mass Production series and Asuka will be answering Shinji's proposal and then 'Hyper-Metal-Lilith' will finally arrive at the surface.**

 **Did anyone notice my little nudge to 'Shin Seiki: Jotei no Yokai Hoshi'? It's a fanfic by GamerJay that I really recommend. And it was the bit about Shinji being a 'ruthless hunter raised by aliens and are banging Major Katsuragi instead of Pilot Soryu'. Hehe.**

 **Speaking of GamerJay, thanks for Beta reading, man. Thanks for beta reading this entire story basically. I really appreciate it. Also, Evangelion belongs to Gainax and Sonic belongs to Sega.**

 **I'll see you guys next time.**


	23. Ruby and Onyx, Forever

**Chapter 23:** _ **Ruby and Onyx, Forever**_

Asuka's mind insisted her ears misheard what Shinji just said. The fixated stare Shinji was giving her along with his beautiful small smile was telling her otherwise.

"Wh… what?" She asked nonetheless, her forehead wrinkling slightly.

A swing from a giant spear in the shape of a broad sword caught her attention and if she wasn't enjoying the unbridled high of finally being with her mother again, it would have probably cut of her Eva's head.

"SHIEBE!"

Shinji, that is, Unit 01, ducked alongside her and it seemed he did so just to keep staring at her, keep pressing her for an answer.

"You heard me Asuka!" amidst counterattacking the white Eva that just took a swing at her with its huge spear, she heard Shinji speaking again, "I want you to marry me!"

Being stark naked already and in the middle of a fierce battle, Asuka didn't think she could be more embarrassed than she already was, but she swore at that moment she was about to start hyper ventilating. She watched almost helplessly as Shinji dodged a spear attack from a different MP Eva and immediately countered with a roundhouse kick to its elongated muzzle.

Only to stare at her again, more intently than he ever had, and press her again, "Well? Will you?"

Asuka fretted about, her whole body turning as red as her Eva, "S-Stupid Shinji! I-I don't think now is the best time!"

SWOSH!

Another swing from a spear that now both purple and red behemoths had to dodge out of the way to avoid being hurt. Several tons of dirty being risen as they rolled and stood back up almost in the same position they were before.

"Now may be the ONLY time!"

Despite the seriousness of the situation and the mortal battle happening right then and there, Shinji still sounded dead serious and the smile on his face Asuka knew was the most genuine she's ever seen.

"I… I…"

"I've seen your worst Asuka, and your best!"

Amazingly, Asuka's mind went back to the time she broke down and cried in front of him, almost as if to say goodbye, because she was certain he would leave after that. But he didn't. He just kept saying she wasn't bad, like the Angel that violated _hers and Ayanami's_ minds had shown, she just had bad things happen to her. As she did, she avoided and then countered yet another spear swing.

"Just like you have seen my worst! And my best!"

And now she remembered the time she saw Shinji at his most dejected, ironically right after she spent a very good day with Hikari, having even seen a concert with the Mobians. How she arrived home that day only to see Shinji lying still as if he was dead, how he told her how his father felt and how he found out how his father felt. And how all of that ended with them taking each other's virginities, fully giving themselves to one another. Seeking the comfort of each other to stave off the darkness. The mortal battle against nine opponents was just a mere distraction from the talk they were having.

SWOSH! THUMP!

As Shinji dodged another deadly thrust he elbowed the long white muzzle of the white Eva that just stocked him and continued speaking, his focus seemed to be completely on her, "And now you gave me back my mother. You figured out she was inside my Eva all along."

His smile broadened and she felt rather than saw the other MP Eva taking a swing at her from behind her. She and Shinji swayed gracefully out of the way and shoulder checked the White Eva.

"I'm never going to want or need anything else! Only you!"

Asuka breathed. She felt a smile creeping her face softly as her happiness overcame her.

"I have made my choice: I choose you, now and forever," Asuka felt completely elated by the conviction of his voice, "I love you! That's my decision! What's yours?"

Still smiling, she blinked away the tears that were threatening to come out and addressed her com unit.

(SGE)

"Fuyutsuki!"

Asuka's voice thundered the sub-commander's name across the entire terminal of HQ, bringing shocked and astounded minds back to the present. Everybody was _that_ surprised by Shinji's proposal it seemed. Misato couldn't help the small smile on her face but was as shocked as everyone else. Asuka's face blinked on the main screen of Central Dogma her face on the screen overcame any sadness or woe that any of the NERV crew may have felt since the day began. Her smile on the full screen display was that powerful.

"Marry us!" She was still addressing the Sub-Commander.

Kozo Fuyutsuki actually looked slightly embarrassed, "I… don't believe I am qualified for-"

"I know you're not a priest you idio- I mean, sub-commander! I just need to hear an old man saying the right words to do this!"

Fuyutsuki frowned, "I still don't think I-"

SWOSH!

Everybody in Central Dogma jumped as Asuka widened her eyes to the side and ducked, apparently at the same time, the main screen in Central Dogma switching back to the red behemoth as it ducked another sword swing, which was then countered by a powerful left hook from its purple counterpart behemoth, both Evangelions still in battle motion.

This time Asuka didn't smile, she glared at her com screen "Sub-Commander please! We need to do this now!"

Fuytsuki sighed, "Um… dearly beloved… we are gathered here today to… Um…"

Evangelion Unit 01 roundhouse kicked a MP Eva to the ground as Evangelion unit 02 countered a different one with a forward heel kick.

"Apparently to kick the crap out of the Mass Production Evangelions…"

"Sub-commander Fuyutsuki, please!" Asuka's voice through the Eva com unit pleaded throughout the Central Dogma again.

Kozo sighed again, "Fine then; dearly beloved we are gathered here today to join these two souls in holy matrimony."

The next move from the red and purple Evas, which was a combined attack on one MP Eva and a couple of identical spinning kicks to two other MP Evas that approached their backs, made Fuyutsuki sigh again.

"Marriage is an institution-"

SWOSH, BAM! Asuka dodged and countered yet another attack that sent the white Evangelion that attacked her flying backwards.

"You know, I realize the bride and groom are a little busy, so why don't we just proceed to the vows?"

(SGE)

Shinji drew breath in as his arm and leg that he used to attack the next three MP Evas in harmony with Asuka receded.

"Shinji Ikari!"

And his heart still leaped when he heard Asuka call his name after Fuyutsuki told them to proceed to vows, "Yes Asuka?"

"Do you take me to be your lawfully wedded wife, to be with me in sickness and in health-"

SWOSH! Shinji was thankful his Eva had arms linked with his Unit 01, because they managed to dodge the attack that came from the MP Eva. Asuka countered it by literally punching the white chest so hard it trespassed the torso and hit the MP Eva just behind.

"In health being the less likely," Asuka continued with her vows as if she was never interrupted, "Until death do us part? Which might be sooner than we both want?"

Shinji swelled with pride as the two now almost lifeless MP Eva bodies fell to the ground and answered her, swearing it with conviction and overjoyed with happiness, "I do!" He then roundhouse kicked another MP Eva approaching from behind before talking again, "Do you, Asuka Langley Soryu, take me-?" His roundhouse kick was not very effective because the MP Eva he hit just shrugged it off and attacked him again, holding him by the waist after a half tackle, "Crap!" He addressed Asuka again, "Anyway do you take me as your, you know?!"

"I do too!" Asuka answered, with conviction that equaled his own, as she grabbed the MP Eva that was holding Shinji by the waist and somersaulted forwards, pillowing it to the ground and rolling over it. She then used the momentum to kick another MP Eva that was just further ahead, standing back up, making it crash to the ground again.

Then Shinji saw her turning to see her com unit again, "Fuyutsuki!"

(SGE)

Back in the command center, even Fuyutsuki himself could tell there were a lot more smiles. He figured everyone would be laughing or giving some sort of congratulatory statement if not for the death battle happening right now, "Um, by the power invested in me by the strange circumstances of this moment, I now declare you husband and wife… You may now… kiss the brid-"

Asuka stole one of the giant sword like spears that some of the MP Evas were still using and swung it on the neck of the one she stole it from. It was rammed backwards until it hit another MP Eva, carrying two enemy Evas as one would a battering ram. Her roar of strength and power echoed as she twisted the two Evas that were now gushing out blood.

Fuyutsuki's face betrayed a little bit of shock, "Erm… Maybe you two should kiss after the battle is won."

(SGE)

She didn't care the scream she just roared made her throat sore. This felt great. She was so focused and so in sync with her soon to be husband that she saw the next attack from the Evangelions that just stood back up and jumped them and broke their momentum before they even attacked. Shinji hadn't bothered picking up a lance like she did and was still equally effective in crushing the white giant monsters with his bare hands. And right now, he took a good hold on two of the monstrosities with elongated muzzles.

Being so in sync with him, she understood immediately what to do and what he wanted her to do…

SLASH SLICE GUSH!

…and swung her spear at the MP Evas in holding. Shinji dropped the lifeless corpses and jumped the remaining two MP Evas still in one piece.

 _Holy crap, only two enemies left!_

Asuka grinned harder as she too, ran in the direction of the only two enemies still standing, the sides of her eyesight catching sight of every single one of the seven maimed, crushed or cut down MP Evangelions as she did.

Shinji's Unit 01 punched the chest of the MP Eva on the left so hard his fist actually went through the torso. Her Unit 02 swung the spear she stole so hard that she cut the MP Eva on the right in half.

She breathed out in relief and then heard Shinji do the same. Then she _heard_ the smile in her groom's face just like the sub-commander's smile as he finally declared, "Alright, _now_ you may kiss the bride."

The Mass Production Evangelion series laid destroyed all around the purple and red behemoths as they tenderly approached one another and softly touched their mouth plating.

(SGE)

Although all that Maya could do was smile and give Ritsuko's hand a good squeeze, the entire Central Dogma erupted in cheer and celebration at the most awesome victory the children ever managed. Not only a whooping number of enemies, nine in total, had been laid in destruction all around, the pilots sworn their undying love for one another in such a beautiful manner, even to the point of expressing themselves with their Evas, that the most predominant feeling of the day felt a lot like love.

 _It doesn't even matter that just a few minutes ago we were all about to die and that the Mass Production Evangelions are all still reading as active…_

…

 _Wait, what?!_

Maya checked her console again and immediately let go of Ritsuko's hand.

"ENEMIES ARE STILL READING AS ACTIVE!"

Maya's yell managed to cut through the eruptions of cheer still happening all around her. Everybody focused back on their tasks after a short moment. Sure enough, after a brief moment, images showing the knocked down MP Eva series appeared in the screens of Central Dogma at several angles. Each and every single one of them was getting back up; their wounds healing themselves and the sinister red lips on their elongated muzzles grinning wickedly as their throats made a sound that was similar to gurgling laughter.

"Just like Units 01 and 02, they are equipped with their own S2 organs," Ritsuko whispered horrified.

And that wasn't even the worst part of the scene.

"What is that?" Hyuga was the first to ask, pointing at the screen showing the area closer to the central area of the city, just by the lake and one of the getting back up white Evas.

Light, bright white light, formed a circle in there. Something translucent but that didn't quite look translucent, was rising from that giant circle of light, as if rising from the very ground without digging through it. First it was pieces of metal covering the white flesh like thing of what appeared to be a head. Then came the shoulders of what was obviously a humanoid shaped thing that was bigger than the MP Evas, bigger than Units 01 and 02 by at least fifty meters.

Its general composition was the stuff of nightmares; the purple seven eyed mask behind the round glassed gaze and giant metal mustache was more menacing and eerie than in any Angel Maya had seen. It was like a purple mask like face under a metal mask with a metal gaze and metal mustache. Couple that with the metal in stripes and fat like appearance of the giant organic slash metallic robot, it was truly a testament to wickedness.

"What is that?!" Hyuga could only repeat his question.

"Whatever it is, it's not reading like an Angel!" Shigeru screamed back before focusing on his terminal again, "I'm reading three Red Patterns again!"

Maya saw the readings and confirmed the numbers; she knew that those numbers meant the hedgehogs not only were around, but they were using, or at least about to use, their super forms.

FLASH!

There were three small white dots of light just in front of the circle of light where the monstrosity of white flesh covered by metal appeared.

(SGE)

Sonic reached the surface of the city only to see a very wide circle of light in the distance. He didn't even bother looking at Silver to ask.

"That's where Hyper-Metal-Lilith is showing up, right?"

Silver nodded and pointed at a different area in the distance, "And that one over there is Shadow, isn't it?"

Sonic saw his black counterpart waving at them and then scream atop of his lungs, "The UN will not attack NERV and are moving against the Old Men. You're welcome."

Sonic grinned and got ready to boost towards Shadow.

"Come over here with the emeralds so we can handle this one here now." Shadow continued yelling from afar as Sonic and Silver ran to him.

Sonic got to him first, "Good job, Shads. With all the Angels dead, all that's left is the Egghead and black beard inside that," He gestured at Hyper-Metal-Lilith as he finished speaking.

"Alright guys," Silver reached for his Chaos Emeralds inside his Backpack, "Let's do this! Get your own emeralds ready!"

"Of course Silver!" Answered Sonic as he held up his three emeralds, the purple and green on one hand and the blue on the other.

In unity, Shadow raised the teal and red emeralds and Silver raised the yellow and white ones. Almost immediately later, the magical gems resonated and moved around the three hedgehogs in a circular motion, spinning around then, faster and faster until they were engulfed by light, after three separate bursts of light flashed, Super Sonic, Super Shadow and Super Silver were flying towards Hyper-Metal-Lilith.

(SGE)

Robotnik didn't want to contain the maniacal laughter begging to wreck his gut so he didn't even try.

"OHOHOHOHOHO! What did I tell you, Commander Ikari?!"

"I already knew this was the promised time. I knew that the main purpose of the Mass Production Series was to form the halos for the tree of life."

True to the Commander's words, the heavily damaged White Eva series was rising along with his Hyper-Metal-Lilith, rising to the sky and forming a strange octagon like figure as they rose, the white Evangelions positioning themselves all around Lilith, or it should be said, the roboticized version of Lilith, Hyper-Metal-Lilith, forming some sort of holy symbol that was now floating in the sky.

And now that holy symbol was going towards the familiar visage of Unit 00, where his precious prize laid.

 _Yes, even though Miss Ayanami refused to come to us, her Unit is still just lying there since the last Angel. Once we reach her I will have Lilith completely just as Gendo has Adam._

Robotnik was still grinning. The still active Evangelion Units 01 and 02 because they were enhanced by an S2 Organ and the three small dots of light directly ahead of the Evangelion Units that he knew were the hedgehogs enhanced by the Chaos Emeralds were still standing in hi way but it was as if they weren't even there. Total victory, the unified destruction of Instrumentality that would grant him a whole world, was so close he could taste it.

 _Reach Miss Ayanami, let the foolish Commander join with her so he can turn into orange juice to go be with his wife, let the same happen to everyone else and then, FINALLY, Eggman Land._

 _This is it. This is my final stand._

He felt the proto Tree of Life, his Hyper-Metal-Lilith surrounded by the Mass Production Evangelion Series, hover towards his final goal, the true vessel of Lilith, Rei Ayanami. The two remaining Evangelions, equipped with an S2 organ of unlimited energy, and the hedgehogs, in their super forms of unlimited power, were all that stood in his way.

(SGE)

Fuyutsuki knew everybody in Central Dogma had no idea what was going on, what they were seeing in the display screens. Lilith, now in its roboticized form because it was modified by Robotnik, was now flying, levitating way above the ground, at least a whole mile, so that the MP Eva Series could hover around her and form the Tree of Life, or at least a prototype of the Tree of Life. He knew Rei had to be reached to form the true fruit of Life. In light of the confusion, that was eluding maybe only Doctor Akagi, he spoke with an ominous tone.

"Lilith has the fruit of Life. And now that he and his Egg-Jet-Alone machine have fully assimilated it, Robotnik has Lilith and the fruit of Wisdom. Commander Ikari has Adam and Adam has the fruit of Wisdom. Should Robotnik reach Rei on Unit 00 and consequently, the entirety of Lilith, he will possess both Life and Wisdom. He will effectively become God."

Everybody was standing about in awe double taking between the Central Dogma screen and the Sub-Commander. The only one that seemed particularly suspicious of how he started talking about what was happening was Major Katsuragi, eyes slightly narrow as she too listened.

"And… all that stands in his way are two newlywed teenagers and the three hedgehogs that have stopped him before time and time again."

With that ominous sense of what was happening on this day, lieutenant Ibuki was the first to speak after what he said, "Have we done the right thing?"

"We can only hope…" Lieutenant Hyuga hesitantly concluded.

"Don't think like that!" Lieutenant Aoba was the one to speak now, "We can make it through this!" He looked at the screen showing both Evas and the three tiny figures of the hedgehogs, "They can do this."

Major Katsuragi crossed her arms and focused on the main screen as well.

(SGE)

The white Evangelions he and his wife just trashed rose and formed some sort os sacred slash religious symbol in the sky, positioning themselves around a big new giant robot that literally came out of the ground, phasing through it somehow. In a sort of a haze, his Unit 01 seemed strangely in sync with the things that were happening in front of him. He also didn't know why but he had a really bad feeling about the strange 'tree' like image that formed itself ahead of him.

 _That's right. The MP Evas and the white robot Robotnik and Father are at look like that… religious… tree of life thing…_

…

 _Mother… If you're really here like Asuka said… I don't want what father wants… help me stop him._

He felt the Eva respond at the same time he felt the haze of all the things around him get worse. It was like being inside of a mist that affected all of your senses and not just your sight.

He heard a voice far away though. A voice that was familiar to him. He couldn't make out what was said to him either.

Yes, he couldn't quite grasp what was happening or why it was happening. But he knew he was still inside Unit 01 and he knew the fight wasn't over yet. If he wanted to spend more time with his wife, he was going to have to push through this and stop whatever it was that was about to happen.

"Shinji?! I asked if you can you hear me?!"

It was when he heard the familiar voice call him again, this time hearing it clearer that his vision came back to normal. And he focused again, he saw a godly vision of hope.

It was golden, and shining, the red shoes could still be made out, even though it was bright, and far away. And it really was _bright._ Like a light of hope, and unlike other bright lights like the sun or a lamp, Shinji could stare at it indefinitely, his eyes were not getting tired or hurting by looking at that shiny gold star in the distance. A star with red shoes and gloves. A star that was turning to look at him. Shining golden spikes accompanied red eyes and complimented an image of invincibility, along with a smile that beamed with confidence. Shinji didn't know how he knew it since he was relatively far away from his Evangelion, but he knew it was Sonic.

And he knew it was Sonic that talked to him, even if he didn't know how he heard Sonic either, again because Sonic was afar and apparently with no means to communicate with the inside of an Eva. Not knowing if his friend from another would hear him if he said anything, he simply smiled at the Central figure in the light show of hope ahead of him. Yes, now he noticed Shadow and Silver were with Sonic, also shining golden and flying ahead of him and Asuka.

And Sonic gave him a thumb up…

"Alright Shinji! This is the grand finale!"

…before he turned back and edged towards the monstrosity before them, a few hundreds of meters in the distance.

"Sonic…"

 **Authors note: Well guys, this is it. The final battle has reached its climax. Only one more chapter and an Epilogue and it will be all over…**

 **I wish to thank everybody that helped me with this, and I will do so again properly in the final chapter, mentioning everybody. Even GamerJay again, for beta reading all of this.**

 **In case you're wondering, yes, the 'proposal' scene of this chapter was based off a certain pirate movie. One that, unlike many that enjoy that series, I enjoyed more and more as the movies progressed. Which is why the third movie is the one I like best. I hated the fourth one though…**

 **Still don't know what I'm talking about? Maybe this disclaimer will help:**

 **DISCLAIMER: Evangelion belongs to Gainax, Sonic belongs to Sega and Pirates of the Caribbean belong to Disney.**

 **Hehe. I'll see you guys next time.**


End file.
